Aj. Ramsay et al., DNA VACCINATION AGAINST VIRUS-INFECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ANTIVIRAL IMMUNITY FOLLOWING CONSECUTIVE IMMUNIZATION WITH DNA AND VIRAL VECTORS, Immunology and cell biology, 75(4), 1997, pp. 382-388
Recent demonstrations of the immunogenicity of antigens encoded in DNA
plasmids following delivery by various routes have heralded a new era
in vaccine development. In this article, we review progress in DNA-ba
sed antiviral immunoprophylaxis. Preclinical studies have already esta
blished the immunogenicity of DNA plasmids encoding protective antigen
s from a wide variety of viral pathogens and work published in recent
months has raised real prospects of broadly protective DNA vaccination
against infections with influenza virus and HIV. We also describe a c
onsecutive immunization protocol consisting of a priming dose of vacci
ne antigen encoded in DNA plasmids followed by a booster with the same
antigen encoded in recombinant fowlpox virus vectors. We have used th
is strategy to generate protective antiviral cell-mediated immunity an
d sustained, high-level antibody responses both systemically and at mu
cosae, and to elucidate immunological mechanisms underlying the develo
pment of immunity to antigens delivered in DNA vectors.