BIOTECHNOLOGY - V. H. Herasymenko - 2006

Part II. Specialized Biotechnologies

Chapter 16. DNA VACCINES

The phenomenon of in vivo Transduction following the administration of purified DNA was observed several decades ago, although it did not receive due attention for a long time. In 1960, Ito (1960) demonstrated the possibility of inducing Skin Papillomas in rabbits by injecting phenol-extracted Nucleic Acids from the Shope rabbit papillomavirus. Later, in 1990, the first report on the feasibility of genetic immunization of animals using purified "naked" DNA or RNA appeared in the USA, when Jon Wolff and colleagues recorded the expression of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, luciferase, and β-galactosidase following the injection of DNA- and RNA-expressing vectors carrying the respective genes into mouse skeletal Muscles (Wolff J. A. et al., 1990).

Genetic immunization involves the administration of purified plasmid DNA containing genes of viral or bacterial pathogens into body Tissues, followed by the expression of foreign genes and the presentation of Antigens by host Cells to induce an Immune Response that provides a protective effect (Tang D. et al., 1992; Cohen I., 1993).

The Main characteristics of DNA Vaccines compared to conventional vaccines are summarized in Table 16.1.

Class="center">Table 16.1.

Comparative characteristics of conventional and DNA vaccines