VP1 protein is the immunodominant capsid protein of enterovirus 71 (EV71) which is responsible for large outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease. It has been reported that glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein (GITR) and its ligand (GITRL) are involved in modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, a DNA vaccine vector encoding EV71 VP1 gene and mGITRL gene (pIRES/VP1/mGITRL) was constructed. And female Balb/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with the DNA vaccine. Compared with the groups immunized with pIRES, pIRES/VP1, pIRES/mGITRL and PBS, the inoculation of pIRES/VP1/mGITRL induced a higher levels of EV71 VP1-specific antibody and specific antibody-forming cells. However, significantly higher levels of CD4(+)Th1, Th2 and CD8(+)IFN-γ(+)T cells were found in the pIRES/VP1/mGITRL group compared with control groups. Our results demonstrate that a novel DNA vaccine, expressing VP1 and mGITRL, could effectively elicit both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against EV71 VP1 in mice. Thus, the mGITRL may be used as molecular adjuvant for EV71 DNA vaccine.