This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wu, Y.-Z. Articles by Tang, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wu, Y.-Z. Articles by Tang, Y.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, October 2002, p. 10264-10269, Vol. 76, No. 20
0022-538X/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.76.20.10264-10269.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mimovirus: a Novel Form of Vaccine That Induces Hepatitis B Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Responses In Vivo

Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, District Shapingba, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China

Received 12 April 2002/ Accepted 9 July 2002

CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are now recognized as important mediators of immunity against intracellular pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus and tumors. How to efficiently evoke antigen-specific CTL responses in vivo has become a crucial problem in the development of modern vaccines. Here, we developed a completely novel CTL vaccine—mimovirus, which is a kind of virus-size particulate antigen delivery system. It was formed by the self-assembly of a cationic peptide containing 18 lysines and a CTL-epitope peptide of HBsAg_28-39, with a plasmid encoding mouse interleukin-12 (IL-12) through electrostatic interactions. We examined the formation of mimovirus by DNA retardation assay, DNase I protection assay, and transmission electron microscopy and demonstrated that mimovirus could efficiently transfer the plasmid encoding IL-12 into mammalian cells such as P815 cells in vitro. Furthermore, it was proved that mimovirus could induce an HBsAg_28-39-specific CTL response in vivo. Considering its effectiveness, flexibility, and defined composition, mimovirus is potentially a novel system for vaccination against intracellular pathogens and tumors.