The efficiency of a novel delivery system (PEI600-Tat) in development of potent DNA vaccine using HPV16 E7 as a model antigen

Abstract

DNA vaccination is a promising approach for inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses. The mode of plasmid DNA delivery is critical to make progress in DNA vaccination. Using human papillomavirus type 16 E7 as a model antigen, this study evaluated the effect of peptide-polymer hybrid including PEI600-Tat conjugate as a novel gene delivery system on the potency of antigen-specific immunity in mice model. At ratio of 10:50 PEI-Tat/E7DNA (w/w), both humoral and cellular immune responses were significantly enhanced as compared with E7DNA construct and induced Th1 response. Therefore, this new delivery system could have promising applications in gene therapy.

Keywords::

• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• E7
• delivery system
• tat protein
• polyethylenimine (PEI)
• DNA vaccination

Acknowledgments

The financial support by the Research Council of the Republic Presidentship is gratefully acknowledged. We would like to thank A. Javadi (Pasteur Institute of Iran, Department of Immunology), N. Moradin, F. Zahedifard, and S. Alizadeh (Pasteur Institute of Iran, Molecular Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory) for their technical assistance.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.