Co-administration of DNA encoding co-stimulatory molecules enhances the efficacy of immune response to foreign antigen

迫切需要预防或治疗传染病和某些癌症的疫苗。受感染的细胞和一些癌细胞显示出独特的蛋白质，身体的免疫系统可以识别为“外来”。然后，身体会产生免疫反应，如果成功的话，将根除感染或癌细胞。树突状细胞（DC）通过指示其他免疫细胞产生反应来启动身体的免疫反应。对于成功的疫苗，重要的是疫苗以正确的方式激活DC。我们建议通过用编码最近鉴定的共刺激分子的DNA以及编码外源抗原的DNA接种来激活DC。我们早期的工作使我们相信，这将增强免疫反应，并导致更有效的免疫状态

Vaccines to prevent or treat infectious diseases and some cancers are urgently needed. Infected cells and some cancer cells display unique proteins which the body's immune system can recognises as 'foreign'. The body will then mount an immune response, which, if successful, will eradicate the infected or cancerous cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) initiate the body's immune response by instructing other immune cells to mount a response. For a vaccine to be successful it is important that the vaccine activates the DCs in the right way. We propose to activate DCs by vaccinating with DNA encoding recently identified costimulatory molecules, as well as DNA encoding the foreign antigen. Our earlier work leads us to believe that this will enhance the immune response, and lead to a more effective state of immunity