Injection of plasmid DNA into the gastric mucosa induces mucosal and systemic immunity

Nearly all mucosal surfaces participate in a common mucosal immune system, and application of an antigen to one mucosal surface elicits local as well as distant mucosal immune responses. However, whether the gastric mucosa is a part of this network has not been examined directly. We show here that t he injection of plasmid DNA encoding beta-galactosidase into the gastric wa ll caused transfection of gastric mucosal epithelial cells, induced systemi c and mucosal antibody responses at both local (digestive tract) and distan t (genital and respiratory tracts) sites, and induced cytotoxic T lymphocyt e responses in the spleen and the mesenteric and iliac lymph nodes. (C) 200 0 Academic Press.