Abstract
Most studies on DNA-based immunization have used viral promoters to drive antigen expression. Recently, the use of tissue-specific DNA vaccines has been favored regarding safety issues. In this study, we determined the impact of antigen localization and tissue-specific expression on the induction of humoral as well as cellular immune responses in a BALB/c mouse model. Thereby, we show that using the muscle-specific muscle creatine kinase (MCK) promoter/enhancer the efficiency of immune stimulation is strictly dependent on the ability of HIV-1 Pr55(gag) to be released from cells. By contrast, localization of Pr55(gag) and derivatives thereof plays only a minor role when antigen is constitutively expressed using the ubiquitous viral CMV promoter.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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AIDS Vaccines / immunology*
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Animals
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Antibody Specificity
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Creatine Kinase / genetics*
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Creatine Kinase, MM Form
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Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
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Gene Products, gag / analysis
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Gene Products, gag / genetics
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Gene Products, gag / immunology*
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Genes, Synthetic
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Genes, gag
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HIV Antibodies / biosynthesis
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HIV Core Protein p24 / analysis
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HIV Core Protein p24 / genetics
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HIV Core Protein p24 / immunology*
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HIV-1 / genetics
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HIV-1 / immunology*
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Humans
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Immunity, Cellular
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Isoenzymes / genetics*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
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Organ Specificity
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Promoter Regions, Genetic*
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Protein Precursors / analysis
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Protein Precursors / genetics
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Protein Precursors / immunology*
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T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
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Th1 Cells / immunology
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Th2 Cells / immunology
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Vaccines, DNA / immunology*
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Vaccines, Synthetic / genetics
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Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
Substances
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AIDS Vaccines
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Gene Products, gag
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HIV Antibodies
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HIV Core Protein p24
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Isoenzymes
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Protein Precursors
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Vaccines, DNA
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Vaccines, Synthetic
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p55 gag precursor protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
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Creatine Kinase
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Creatine Kinase, MM Form