Document 0341
 DOCN  M9590341
 TI    Novel vaccine strategies using fowlpox viruses and plasmid DNA.
 DT    9509
 AU    Leong KH; Ramsay AJ; Boyle DB; Robinson HL; Ramshaw IA; Viral
       Engineering and Cytokine Research Group, JCSMR, Canberra.
 SO    Annu Conf Australas Soc HIV Med. 1994 Nov 3-6;6:156 (unnumbered
       abstract). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASHM6/95291758
 AB    We have studied avipox viruses encoding cytokine genes, both alone and
       in combination with naked DNA plasmids, as potential vaccine strategies.
       As these viruses abortively infect mammalian cells, yet still
       effectively present foreign genes to the immune system, they offer a
       safer but effective alternative to other live vectors. We have examined
       the effect of co-expressing the cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) or
       interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on immune responses to fowlpox virus (FPV)
       expressing influenza hemagglutinin (HA) as a vaccine antigen. IL-6
       augmented antibody responses while IFN gamma inhibited these responses
       without affecting the generation of cell-mediated immunity. The safety
       of these constructs was demonstrated in immunodeficient mice and no side
       effects were observed due to cytokine expression. Direct injection of
       DNA plasmids encoding foreign genes as a means of vaccination is a
       subject of great current interest. We have combined this approach with
       fowlpox vectors, both expressing common HA antigen, to examine the
       effects of priming with the former intramuscularly and boosting with
       recombinant FPV. With this combination, both systemic and mucosal
       antibody responses, respectively, were greatly elevated after boosting
       at the relevant site. Levels of systemic antibody achieved using this
       strategy approximated those in convalescent serum. In summary, FPV
       vectors encoding cytokines represent a safe and effective vaccine
       strategy which may be used to selectively manipulate the immune
       response. Greatly enhanced immune responses can be generated when this
       approach is used in combination with naked DNA immunisation. These
       findings have implications for the development of improved vaccination
       strategies.
 DE    AIDS Vaccines/*IMMUNOLOGY  Cell Line  Fowlpox Virus/*IMMUNOLOGY
       Hemagglutinins, Viral/IMMUNOLOGY  Human  HIV/*IMMUNOLOGY  Interferon
       Type II/BIOSYNTHESIS  Interleukin-6/BIOSYNTHESIS  Plasmids/*IMMUNOLOGY
       Vaccines, Synthetic/*IMMUNOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).