Characterization of the humoral and cellular immune responses against hepatitis C virus core induced by DNA-based immunization.

摘要: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) causes most cases of posttransfusion hepatitis. Chronic HCV infection is highly related to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current therapies are only minimally effective no vaccine has been developed. DNA-based immunization could be prophylactic therapeutic value for infection. By intramuscular inoculation in BALB/c mice with an recombinant plasmid pCI-HCV-C, we found significant levels IgM antibody, but IgG rise. After boost the immunized HCV-core protein (cp1-10; 1-164aa), anticore IgG, verified by Western-blotting, rose rapidly, which was two weeks earlier than that control plasmid. Spleen cells from pCI-HCV-C gave higher proliferation index (PI) (P < 0.05). The PI cp1-10 boosted even higher. Proliferation blocking assay mAb proved responding cell CD4+ CD8- phenotype, supporting specific priming T helper cells. A 51Cr-releasing CTL developed, a response against demonstrated both cp1-10. Strong cytotoxic activity peptide-pulsed p815 (H-2d), not EL-4 (H-2b), suggested MHC class I restriction activity. Blocking effector CD4- CD8+. Three epitopes were demonstrated. We failed detect when core protein. results vaccination derived DNA sequences method induce humoral cellular immune responses HCV.