Intra-epithelial vaccination with COPV L1 DNA by particle-mediated DNA delivery protects against mucosal challenge with infectious COPV in beagle dogs.

Protection against viral challenge with canine oral papillomavirus (COPV) w as achieved by immunisation via particle-mediated DNA delivery (PMDD) of a plasmid encoding the COPV LI gene to cutaneous and oral mucosal sites in be agle dogs. The initial dose of approximately 9 mug of DNA was followed by t wo booster doses at 6 week intervals. A similar approach was used to vaccin ate a control group of animals with plasmid DNA encoding the Hepatitis B vi rus S gene. Following challenge at the oral mucosa with COPV all animals va ccinated with the COPV L1 gene were protected against disease. However five of six animals in the control group developed COPV induced papillomas at t he oral mucosa. Both cell-mediated lymphoproliferative and humoral antibody responses to the DNA vaccine were observed. Our data indicate that PMDD of plasmid DNA can protect against mucosal challenge with papillomavirus. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.