A DNA vaccine candidate for B. anthracis immunization, pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid, induce Th1/Th2 mixed responses and protection in mice

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Title: A DNA vaccine candidate for B. anthracis immunization, pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid, induce Th1/Th2 mixed responses and protection in mice
Author(s): Vahedi, Fatemeh; Kyd, Jennelle; Moazeni Jula, Gholamreza; Afzalaghaeei, Monavvar; Kianizadeh, Mahdi; Mahmoudi, Mahmoud
Abstract: The protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) is a potent immunogen and a candidate subunit vaccine. To address the question whether antibodies raised against PA following injection of pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid, encoding PA, can protect against virulent B. anthracis two different regimens of PA based vaccines (DNA and live spore) were used. The groups of BALB/c mice that received live spores of the Sterne strain, naked pcDNA3.1 and naked pcDNA3.1+PA were compared to control groups. All groups were injected three times with 30-day intervals. Two weeks after the last immunization, all mice were subjected to challenge with a pathogenic strain of B. anthracis (C2). Blood samples were taken before each injection and challenge. Evaluation of the sera by ELISA method showed that DNA immunization using pcDNA3.1+PA plasmid resulted in an antibody profile representative of a mixed Th1 and Th2 response, with a skewing to a Th1 response. The group which received the naked pcDNA3.1+PA had a survival rate of >80%. This challenge assay revealed that antibodies raised following DNA vaccination against PA can confer strong protection, and resistance against virulent species of B. anthracis.
Publication type: Journal article
Source: World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 24, no. 10 (Oct 2008), pp. 2171-2178
Publication year: 2008
FOR Code(s): 06 Biological Sciences; 10 Technology
Keyword(s): Anthracis; Antibodies; Bacteriology; BALB/c mice; Blood samples; DNA vaccines; Electric breakdown; Genes; Immunisation; Immunogen; Nucleic acids; Organic acids; pcDNA3.1; Power amplifiers; Protective antigen; Subunit vaccines; Survival rates; Vaccines
Publisher: Springer
ISSN: 0959-3993
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11274-008-9725-3
Peer reviewed