Cationic lipid-formulated DNA vaccine against hepatitis B virus: immunogenicity of MIDGE-Th1 vectors encoding small and large surface antigen in comparison to a licensed protein vaccine.

ABSTRACT: Currently marketed vaccines against hepatitis B virus (HBV) based on the small (S) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) fail to induce a protective immune response in about 10% of vaccinees. DNA vaccination and the inclusion of PreS1 and PreS2 domains of HBsAg have been reported to represent feasible strategies to improve the efficacy of HBV vaccines. Here, we evaluated the immunogenicity of SAINT-18-formulated MIDGE-Th1 vectors encoding the S or the large (L) protein of HBsAg in mice and pigs. In both animal models, vectors encoding the secretion-competent S protein induced stronger humoral responses than vectors encoding the L protein, which was shown to be retained mainly intracellularly despite the presence of a heterologous secretion signal. In pigs, SAINT-18-formulated MIDGE-Th1 vecto

SUBMITTER: Endmann A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4081723 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature