Elicitation of efficient, protective immune responses by using DNA vaccines against tuberculosis.

Khera, A.; Singh, R.; Shakila, H.; Rao, V.; Dhar, N.; Narayanan, P.R.; Parmasivan, C.N.; Ramanathan, V.D. ; Tyagi, A.K .

Vaccine; 2005; 23; 5655-5665.

Abstract: DNA vaccination is an effective method for elicitation of strong humoral as well as cellular immune responses. DNA vaccines expressing mycobacterial antigens ESAT-6 (Rv3875), a -crystallin (Rv2031c) and superoxide dismutase A (Rv3846) were evaluated for their immune responses in Balb/c mice and protective efficacy in guinea pigs. Immunization of mice with theDNAvaccines expressing superoxide dismutase A and a -crystallin resulted in markedly higher levels of IFN- g as compared to the levels of IL-10. The DNA vaccine expressing ESAT-6 elicited a mixed Th1/Th2 response. Immunization of guinea pigs with these DNA vaccines and subsequent challenge of animals with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv, showed that DNA vaccine expressing superoxide dismutase imparted the maximum protection as observed by a 50 and 10 folds reduction in bacillary load in spleens and lungs, respectively, in comparison to immunization with vector control.

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