Potential therapy of Fc-antigen combination-encoding DNA vaccination in mouse allergic airway inflammation

Clin Exp Immunol. 2008 Oct;154(1):115-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03736.x. Epub 2008 Aug 22.

Abstract

Vaccination with allergen-encoding DNA has been proposed as having potential for allergen-specific immunotherapy. In this study, we examine the therapeutic effect of allergen-encoding DNA vaccination directly to dendritic cells (DCs) on allergen-induced allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model and explore potential mechanism. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and challenged mice were immunized with DNA vaccine and received bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) 1 day after the last challenge, to measure BAL levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, interferon (IFN)-gamma and differential cell count. Pulmonary DCs and Spleen DCs were purified and sorted according to the expression of CD(11c) (+)CD(80) (+) and CD(11c) (+)CD(86) (+) co-stimulatory molecules. Our data demonstrated that DNA vaccine therapy with OVA-Fc-pcDNA(3.1) significantly prevented OVA-increased levels of IL-4, IL-5 and the percentage of eosinophils and OVA-decreased level of IFN-gamma. OVA-Fc-pcDNA(3.1)-treated mice had less severity of airway inflammation, and lower expression of CD(11c) (+)CD(80) (+) and CD(11c) (+)CD(86) (+) on pulmonary DCs, as compared with animals with OVA-pcDNA(3.1,) pcDNA(3.1) and OVA respectively. DNA vaccine encoding both Fc and OVA was shown to be more effective than DNA vaccine encoding OVA alone. Our data indicate that Fc-antigen combination-encoding DNA vaccination has better preventive effects on antigen-induced airway inflammation by regulating DCs, and may be a new alternative therapy for asthma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / therapy*
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Eosinophils / immunology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Immunization, Passive
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / genetics*
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-4 / analysis
  • Interleukin-5 / analysis
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovalbumin / genetics
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Interleukin-5
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • Interleukin-4
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Ovalbumin