DNA immunization with Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen: regulation of humoral immune response by coinoculation of cytokine expression plasmid

Parasitol Int. 1999 Mar;48(1):27-33. doi: 10.1016/s1383-5769(98)00036-1.

Abstract

We immunized mice with plasmid expressing the 47-kDa amino-terminal domain of the Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen (SERA) using gene gun and investigated humoral immune response to SERA antigen. Significant SERA-specific IgG was observed in BALB/c mice after immunization three times with SERA expression plasmid. Furthermore, these levels were increased by the coinoculation of cytokine (IFN-gamma, IL-4, GM-CSF, or IL-12) expression plasmid. In respect to the SERA-specific Ig subclasses, coinoculation of IFN-gamma, GM-CSF, or IL-12 expression plasmid increased the levels of SERA-specific IgG2a, and these were much higher than that in mice immunized with SERA expression plasmid alone. In contrast to the SERA-specific IgG2a, coinoculation of any cytokine expression plasmid did not change the levels of SERA-specific IgG1. These results indicate that cytokine expression plasmid enhances and regulates humoral immune response elicited by SERA DNA immunization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Antigens, Protozoan / genetics
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology*
  • Biolistics / methods
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / immunology*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Malaria Vaccines / genetics
  • Malaria Vaccines / immunology*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / prevention & control
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Plasmids
  • Plasmodium falciparum / immunology*
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Cytokines
  • Malaria Vaccines
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • serine repeat antigen, Plasmodium