Application of in vivo electroporation technology in plasmid mediated gene transfer and DNA vaccination / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of in vivo electroporation on plasmid mediated reporter gene expression and immunogenicity of DNA vaccine. Methods Luciferase expression plasmid was administered intramuscularly to BALB/c mice at 8μg and 40μg dosage level through injection with or without eletroporation Luciferase expression level in murine muscle was detected by IVIS imaging system 24 h after injection. DNA vaccine plasmid p1.0-gp1455m carrying codon-optimized env gene of CN54 strain ( HIV-1 CRF07_BC) was administered to mice at dosages of 8μg and 40μg through the two approaches mentioned above. Mice were immunized at week 0,2 and 4. Env-specific immune responses were detected at two weeks post the second and the third vaccinations. Env-specific antibody immune responses were determined by ELISA. Euv-specific cellular immune responses were determined by IFN-γ ELISPOT. Results Luciferase expression level in murine muscle was significantly increased as much as 35 folds through in vivo eletroporation. Results of ELISA and ELISPOT revealed that in vivo eletroporation could significantly enhance both the humoral and cellular immune responses induced by DNA vaccination. The responses induced by electrodelivered p1.0-gp1455m at 8 μg dosage were better than those induced by simple intramuscular injection with 40 μg of plasmid DNA. On the other hand, 2 injections followed by electroporation elicited comparable level of humoral and cellular immune responses with those induced by 3 injections without electroporation. Conclusion In vivo electroporation was capable of enhancing both the plasmid-mediated gene expression and immunogenicity of DNA vaccine.