Search results for "Gene gun"
showing 5 items of 5 documents
Physical Methods of Gene Delivery
2017
Gene therapy can be defined as the use of nucleic acids (NAs) as medicines with the aim of correcting a deficient gene expression, introducing new functions in the cell, repairing mutations and modulating the gene expression. Two main classes of vectors, viral and nonviral, have been used for gene delivery in order to avoid the NAs hydrolysis by tissue nucleases and improve their cellular uptake. The ideal gene delivery vector should offer high transfection efficacy, cell specificity and low toxicity. However, the immunogenic and mutagenic side effects of viral vector as well as toxicity and low efficacy of nonviral carriers are limiting their application. In this respect, naked NAs deliver…
Particle-Mediated Gene Transfer into Dendritic Cells: A Novel Strategy for the Induction of Immune Responses against Tumor Antigens
2003
The expression of a foreign protein in the skin following direct in vivo gene transfer results in the induction of potent cellular and humoral immune responses. This strategy, now known as genetic or DNA immunization, was first described by Johnston et al. in 1992. They reported that bombardment of murine skin with an expression plasmid encoding human growth hormone coated onto microscopic gold particles using a gene gun resulted not only in the systemic delivery of the molecule, but also in the induction of antigenspecific antibody responses (1). It is now well established that DNA immunization by particle-mediated gene transfer promotes broad-based and long-lasting antigen-specific immune…
Prevention of long-term IgE antibody production by gene gun-mediated DNA vaccination.
2004
Background Vaccination with allergen-encoding DNA represents a promising approach for the treatment of allergic diseases. Objective In a mouse model of type I allergy, we analyzed the ability of biolistic transfection to inhibit antigen-specific IgE production and to modulate T H 2 responses. Methods BALB/c mice were vaccinated by means of gene gun–mediated DNA immunization with plasmid vector pCMV-βGal, encoding β-galactosidase as a model allergen. Subsequently, mice were immunized by means of repeated intraperitoneal injection of β-galactosidase adsorbed to the adjuvant aluminum hydroxide. Development of IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a antibody titers during the course of immunization was followed, …
Transcriptional targeting of dendritic cells in gene gun-mediated DNA immunization favors the induction of type 1 immune responses
2003
Cutaneous dendritic cells (DC) are pivotal for the elicitation of antigen-specific immune responses following gene gun-mediated biolistic transfection of the skin. We transcriptionally targeted transgene expression to DC using vectors containing the murine fascin promoter (pFascin) to control antigen production and compared the immune response elicited with conventional DNA immunization using plasmid constructs with the ubiquitously active CMV promoter (pCMV). Biolistic transfection with pFascin initiated a marked type 1 immune response characterized by the occurrence of a large population of IFN-gamma-producing T helper (Th) cells in spleen and draining lymph nodes. Consistently, immunoglo…
Efficiency of Biolistic DNA Vaccination in Experimental Type I Allergy
2012
Gene gun-mediated delivery of allergen-encoding plasmid DNA has been in focus for many years now as being a needle-free alternative to the protein-based desensitization regimen used in specific immunotherapy. Biolistic immunization with the Helios gene gun has proven to be potent in the induction of antigen-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. Here we describe biolistic vaccination in experimental mouse models of IgE-mediated type I allergy as well as allergen-induced airway inflammation.