Hepatitis C DNA vaccine induces strong DTH response in mice.

2004 APR 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A hepatitis C virus core protein-expressing DNA vaccine induced a strong class I-binding peptide DTH response in mice.

"The hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein-encoding sequence (HCcAg) is the most conserved gene in HCV genome and therefore may be useful to study broadly reacting T-cell epitopes. In this study BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were immunized with a DNA based vaccine expressing the first 176 aa of HCcAg (pIDKCo). After i.m. or i.p. injection of pIDKCo in BALB/c mice, a detectable INF-gamma secreting response to the relevant class I-binding peptide DLMGYIPLVGA (PI) (aa 132-142) was detected suggesting the induction of HccAg-specific CD8+ T-cell effectors," scientists in Cuba report.

"CD8+ T-cell responses were also monitored in vivo by T-cell-mediated DTH reactions after subcutaneous injection of class I-binding viral peptide P1," said Nelson Acosta-Rivero and colleagues at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Havana. "pIDKCo induced a strong P1-specific DTH response in both i.m. and i.p. immunized mice. To evaluate the T-cell response induced by pIDKCo in C57BL/6 mice, an HCcAg epitope was predicted based upon it containing the H-2K[superscript]b binding motif XXXXF/YXXL (DLMGYIPL (P2)). pIDKCo induced a strong P2-specific DTH response with similar kinetics of swelling response to that observed in BALB/c mice."

"Previously, ...