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Journal of Virology, November 2003, p. 11596-11602, Vol. 77, No. 21
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.21.11596-11602.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Optimal Induction of T-Cell Responses against Hepatitis C Virus E2 by Antigen Engineering in DNA Immunization

Jin-Won Youn, Su-Hyung Park, Jae Ho Cho,{dagger} and Young Chul Sung*

Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Hyoja Dong, Pohang, Kyungbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea

Received 23 April 2003/ Accepted 30 July 2003

Although DNA immunization is a safe and efficient method for inducing cellular immune responses, it generates relatively weak and slow immune responses. Here, we investigated the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen modifications on the induction of T-cell responses in DNA immunization. It is likely that the strength of T-cell responses has an inverse relationship with the length of the insert DNA. Interestingly, a mixture of several plasmids carrying each gene induced a higher level of T-cell responses than a single plasmid expressing a long polyprotein. Moreover, the presence of a transmembrane domain in HCV E2 resulted in stronger T-cell responses against E2 protein than its absence. Taken together, our results indicate that the tailored modifications of DNA-encoded antigens are capable of optimizing the induction of T-cell responses which is required for eliminating the cells chronically infected with highly variable viruses such as HCV and human immunodeficiency virus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja Dong, Namgu, Pohang, Kyungbuk 790-784, Korea. Phone: 82-54-279-2294. Fax: 82-54-279-5544. E-mail: ycsung{at}postech.ac.kr.

{dagger} Present address: Department of Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037.

Journal of Virology, November 2003, p. 11596-11602, Vol. 77, No. 21
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.21.11596-11602.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Youn, J.-W., Hu, Y.-W., Tricoche, N., Pfahler, W., Shata, M. T., Dreux, M., Cosset, F.-L., Folgori, A., Lee, D.-H., Brotman, B., Prince, A. M. (2008). Evidence for Protection against Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Chimpanzees by Immunization with Replicating Recombinant Vaccinia Virus. J. Virol. 82: 10896-10905 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Karayiannis, P., Main, J., Thomas, H. C. (2004). Hepatitis vaccines. Br Med Bull 70: 29-49 [Full Text]  


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