Plasmid DNA vaccination using skin electroporation promotes poly-functional CD4 T-cell responses

Immunol Cell Biol. 2011 Mar;89(3):492-6. doi: 10.1038/icb.2010.109. Epub 2010 Sep 14.

Abstract

Plasmid DNA vaccination using skin electroporation (EP) is a promising method able to elicit robust humoral and CD8(+) T-cell immune responses while limiting invasiveness of delivery. However, there is still only limited data available on the induction of CD4(+) T-cell immunity using this method. Here, we compare the ability of homologous prime/boost DNA vaccinations by skin EP and intramuscular (i.m.) injection to elicit immune responses by cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay, as well as study the complexity of CD4(+) T-cell responses to the human immunodeficiency virus antigen Gag, using multiparamater flow cytometry. We find that DNA vaccinations by skin EP and i.m. injection are capable of eliciting both single- and poly-functional vaccine-specific CD4(+) T cells. However, although DNA delivered by skin EP was administered at a five-fold lower dose it elicited significant increases in the magnitude of multiple-cytokine producers compared with i.m. immunization suggesting that the skin EP could provide greater poly-functional T-cell help, a feature associated with successful immune defense against infectious agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Electroporation*
  • Female
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / immunology
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular*
  • Immunity, Humoral*
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Skin / immunology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, DNA / genetics
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology*
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / immunology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus