ß-Glucan oligosaccharide enhances CD 8+ T cells immune response induced by a DNA vaccine encoding hepatitis B virus core antigen

Abstract

DNA vaccination can induce specific CD 8+ T cell immune response, but the response level is low in large mammals and human beings. Coadministration of an adjuvant can optimize protective immunity elicited by a DNA vaccine. In this study, we investigated the effect of a synthetic glucohexaose ( -glu6), an analogue of Lentinan basic unit, on specific CD 8 + T cell response induced by a DNA vaccine encoding HBcAg (pB144) in mice. We found that -glu6 promoted the recruitment and maturation of dendritic cells, enhanced the activation of CD 8+ and CD 4+ T cells and increased the number of specific CD 8+ /IFN- + T cells in lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues in mice immunized by pB144. Immunization with pB144 and -glu6 increased the anti-HBc IgG and IgG2a antibody titer. These results demonstrate that -glu6 can enhance the virus-specific CTL and Th1 responses induced by DNA vaccine, suggesting -glu6 as a candidate adjuvant in DNA vaccination. Copyright © 2010 JingWang et al.