The use of DNA constructs encoding leptospiral proteins is a promising new approach for vaccination against leptospirosis. In previous work we determined that immunization with hemolysis-associated protein 1 (Hap1) (LipL32) expressed by adenovirus induced significant protection against a virulent Leptospira challenge in gerbils. To avoid the use of the adenovirus vector, we checked for clinical...

Ag processing is a critical step in defining the repertoire of epitope-specific immune responses. In the present study, HIV-1 p55Gag Ag was synthesized as a DNA plasmid with either lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1 (LAMP/gag) or human dendritic cell-LAMP (DC-LAMP/gag) and used to immunize mice. Analysis of the cellular trafficking of these two chimeras demonstrated that both molecules col...

To enhance the ef f ic iency of DNA vaccines to HIV-1, we immunized BALB/c mice sequential ly with a gp120 DNA vector and a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV). We have also evaluated the effect of granulocyte macrophage colony st imulation factor (GM-CSF) expression by a DNA vector on both cellular and humoral immune responses when coadministered with the gp120-encoding DNA at priming. Our results...

BACKGROUND Experimental data accumulated over more than a decade indicate that cross-strain protection against influenza may be achieved by immunization with conserved influenza proteins. At the same time, the efficacy of immunization schemes designed along these lines and involving internal influenza proteins, mostly NP and M1, has not been sufficient. OBJECTIVE To test the immunogenicity an...

Background: Tuberculosis is a life threatening disease that is partially prevented by BCG vaccine. Development of more effective vaccines is an urgent priority in TB control. Ag85a and Tb10.4 are the members of culture filter protein (CFP) of M. tuberculosis that have high immunogenicity. Objective: To analyze the immunogenicity of Ag85a-Tb10.4 DNA vaccine by enzyme-linked immunosorbent as...

In this study, we examined the immunogenic properties of the Leishmania infantum acidic ribosomal protein P0 (LiP0) in the BALB/c mouse model. The humoral and cellular responses induced by the administration of the LiP0 antigen, either as soluble recombinant LiP0 (rLiP0) or as a plasmid DNA formulation (pcDNA3-LiP0), were determined. Also, the immunological response associated with a prime-boos...

Background: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a worldwide problem without an effective vaccine with more than 170 million chronically infected people worldwide. DNA vaccines expressing antigenic portions of the virus with adjutants have recently been developed as a novel vaccination technology. Objectives: In the present study, a DNA vaccine expressing HCV core protein was developed with IL12 as a genetic a...

Neisseria gonorrhoeae surface protein A (NspA) is a highly conserved gonococcal antigen. To explore the potential of NspA in vaccine development against gonorrhea, BALB/c mice were immunized with pcNspA containing the NspA gene from N. gonorrhoeae strain WHO-A via intramuscular (i.m.) injection, intranasal (i.n.) immunization, or intravaginal (i.vag.) immunization. Following the last DNA immuni...

Intestinal mucosa is a portal for many infectious pathogens. Systemic immunization, in general, does not induce a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response at the mucosal surface. Because papillomavirus (PV) naturally infects mucosa and skin, we determined whether PV pseudovirus, i.e., PV-like particles in which unrelated DNA plasmids are packaged, could generate specific mucosal immunity. We found...

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in CD8(+) T cell priming following DNA vaccination. In contrast to other DNA injection routes or immunization with viral vectors, Ag presentation is delayed following needle injection of plasmid DNA into the skin. The contribution of various skin DC subsets to this process is not known. In this study, we show that dermal CD11c(+) cells are the most imp...