The identification of T cell epitopes and their HLA (human leukocyte antigen) restrictions is important for applications such as the design of cellular vaccines for HIV. Traditional methods for such identification are costly and time-consuming. Recently, a more expeditious laboratory technique using ELISpot assays has been developed that allows for rapid screening of specific responses. However...

MOTIVATION T-cell response to peptides bound on MHC Class I or Class II molecules is essential for immune recognition of pathogens. T-cells are activated by specific peptide epitopes that are determined within the antigen processing pathways and presented on the surface of other cells bound to MHC molecules. To determine which part of allergenic or pathogenic proteins can stimulate T-cells is i...

BACKGROUND DNA vaccine immunogenicity has been limited by inefficient delivery. Needle-free delivery of DNA using a CO2-powered Biojector® device was compared to delivery by needle and syringe and evaluated for safety and immunogenicity. METHODS Forty adults, 18-50 years, were randomly assigned to intramuscular (IM) vaccinations with DNA vaccine, VRC-HIVDNA016-00-VP, (weeks 0, 4, 8) by Biojec...

Adaptive immunity is an important component to clearance of intracellular pathogens. The ability to detect and quantify these responses in humans is an important diagnostic tool. The enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) is gaining popularity for its ability to identify cellular immune responses against microbial antigens, including immunosuppressed populations such as those with HIV infecti...

Miliary tuberculosis (MTB) of the liver can present non-specifically, which often leads to a diagnostic delay. The objective this clinical case report is highlight an unusual presentation miliary TB in young female patient, who was admitted hospital with right upper quadrant tenderness and constitutional symptoms. Most her investigations yielded little support diagnosis until subsequent positiv...

Background Information and pathobiological understanding about central demyelinating manifestation in patients, who primarily suffer from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), are scarce. Methods IFN-γ-response as well as antibodies against the (para)nodal antigens neurofascin (NF)155 and NF 186 had been tested by Elispot assay and ELISA before clinical manifestation and a...

T-cell responses directed against the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of Plasmodium falciparum can mediate protection against malaria. We determined the frequency of T cells reactive to different regions of the CS in the blood of donors naturally exposed to P. falciparum by examining T1 (gamma interferon [IFN-gamma] ELISPOT assay), T2 (interleukin 4 [IL-4] ELISPOT assay), and proliferative T-cell...

A vaccine candidate that elicits humoral and cellular responses to multiple sporozoite and liver-stage antigens may be able to confer protection against Plasmodium falciparum malaria; however, a technology for formulating and delivering such a vaccine has remained elusive. Here, we report the preclinical assessment of an optimized DNA vaccine approach that targets four P. falciparum antigens: c...