Work

Enhancing DNA vaccine potency by modifying the properties of antigen-presenting cells

Year: 2007

Type: review

Abstract: DNA vaccines represent a potentially promising approach for antigen-specific immunotherapy. Advances in our knowledge of the adaptive immune system have indicated that professional antigen-presenting cells, especially dendritic cells (DCs), play a key role in the generation of antigen-specific immune responses. Thus, the modification of the properties of DCs represents an important strategy for enhancing the potency of DNA vaccines. This review discusses strategies to increase the number of antigen-expressing DCs, enhance antigen expression, processing and presentation in DCs, promote the activation and function of DCs, and improve DC and T-cell interaction, in order to optimize DNA vaccine-elicited immune responses. Continuing progress in our understanding of DC and T-cell biology serves as a foundation for further improvement of DNA vaccine potency, which may lead to future clinical applications of DNA vaccines for the control of infectious diseases and malignancies.

Source: Expert Review of Vaccines

DOI: 10.1586/14760584.6.2.227

Authors: Shaw-Wei D Tsen, Augustine H Paik, Chien-Fu Hung, T-C Wu

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Immunotherapy and Immune Responses

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute