Abstract
In order to direct the form of the immune response in an antigen-specific manner, we constructed a fusion protein (OVA/IL12) that contained the T cell-dependent antigen, ovalbumin (OVA), covalently linked to murine interleukin-12 (IL-12). The OVA/IL12 protein was produced in a baculovirus expression system and was purified by anti-OVA immunoaffinity chromatography. The purified OVA/IL12 protein displayed potent IL-12 bioactivity in an IL-12 proliferation assay. BALB/c mice immunized with the OVA/IL12 protein produced increased quantities of anti-OVA IgG2a antibody compared with mice immunized with recombinant OVA alone. Lymph node cells from the immunized mice with the OVA/IL12 protein produced large amounts of IFN-γ when restimulated in vitro with OVA, while those from mice immunized with the OVA protein produced little or no IFN-γ. In contrast, immunization with a mixture of OVA and free recombinant IL-12 also induced IFN-γ production, which was not OVA-specific. These studies indicate that the OVA/IL12 fusion protein can induce OVA-specific, Th1-dominated immune responses, and that the covalent linkage of OVA and IL-12 confines the effect of IL-12 to OVA-specific cells.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 396-403 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Archives of pharmacal research |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1997 Oct |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Allergy
- Antigen-specific
- Interferon-γ
- Interleukin-12
- Ovabumin
- Th cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Drug Discovery
- Organic Chemistry