IL-15 expression plasmid enhances cell-mediated immunity induced by an HIV-1 DNA vaccine

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 17; no. 7; pp. 858 - 866
• Main Authors: Xin, Ke-Qin, Hamajima, Kenji, Sasaki, Shin, Tsuji, Takashi, Watabe, Setsuko, Okada, Eiichi, Okuda, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 26-02-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic - genetics; Administration, Intranasal; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cytokines - biosynthesis; DNA vaccine; DNA, Viral - immunology; Drug Synergism; Feces - chemistry; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIV Antibodies - biosynthesis; HIV-1; HIV-1 - genetics; HIV-1 - immunology; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Hypersensitivity, Delayed - immunology; Immunity, Cellular - genetics; Immunity, Cellular - immunology; Immunoglobulin A - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Injections, Intramuscular; Interleukin-12 - genetics; Interleukin-12 - immunology; Interleukin-15; Interleukin-15 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-15 - genetics; Interleukin-2 - genetics; Interleukin-2 - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Plasmids - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Vaccines, DNA - immunology; Vaccines, DNA - pharmacology; Virology; HIV-1; DNA vaccine; Interleukin-15; Immunostimulation; Immune response; HIV-1 virus; Rodentia; Retroviridae; Cellular immunity; Recombinant DNA; Interleukin 15; Genetic vaccine; Lentivirus; Virus; Plasmid; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Immunogenicity; Mouse; Human immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(98)00271-0

Cytokines are powerful regulators of the immune response. In this study, an HIV-1 envelope DNA vaccine and interleukin 15 (IL-15) expression plasmid were intranasally administered to mice. A significant increase in the HIV-1-specific DTH response and CTL activity, and decrease in the serum IgG1/IgG2a ratio was observed in the group which received DNA vaccine and IL-15 expression plasmid compared to DNA vaccination alone. Restimulated immune lymphoid cells from mice which received both agents showed enhanced production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and reduced secretion of IL-4. However, administration of DNA vaccine with IL-15 and IL-2 or IL-12 expression plasmids did not alter the effect of IL-15 expression plasmid on the DNA vaccine. These results indicate that intranasal administration of DNA vaccine and IL-15 expression plasmid is capable of enhancing the T helper type 1 (Th1) dependent HIV-1-specific cell-mediated immunity, and that the IL-15 and IL-2 or IL-12 expression plasmids may not have a synergistic effect on the immune response induced by DNA vaccine in vivo.