Oral Immunization with DNA-Chitosan Nanospheres

摘要

DNA-based immunization can stimulate or modify host immune response to prevent or reverse a variety of human diseases. Administration of "naked" plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding antigens can result in long-lasting cellular and humoral immune responses. Successful immunization has been demonstrated with administrtion of pDNA via intra-muscular, intra-dermal and subcutaneous routes, but very little success has been achieved via the oral route. Effective oral delivery of genes coding for the antigens can potentially gain more widespread acceptance especially for mas vaccination and for immunization against food allergies. Despite the recent success of in vivo gene transfer in various models, the prophylactic and therapeutic success of genetic immunization still awaits development of more efficient, safer, and more practical gene delivery systems. We have previously reported a gene delivery system based on complex coacervates of DNA and chitosan. Here we describe preliminary results from oral immunication using naked DNA and several formulations of DNA-chitosn nanosphere encoding a model antigen, Arah2, a major peanut allergen.