Induction of mucosal IgA by a novel jet delivery technique for HIV-1 DNA

Novel ways of delivering plasmid DNA to elicit humoral IgA, IgG and cell-mediated immune responses in mice were investigated. Intraoral administration of DNA in the cheek, using a jet immunization technique, elicited the highest IgA mucosal responses. Intranasal immunization gave strong mucosal IgA responses and persistent systemic IgG. Immunoglobulin isotype analysis revealed an IgG1 profile for intramuscular tongue and gene gun immunizations and an IgG2a profile following oral jet injection and intranasal application. The route of delivery was of importance for the characteristics and quality of the mucosal immune response following DNA immunization. For DNA vaccine delivery, the intraoral jet injection technique has the advantages of being a simple and rapid way of administering the DNA in solution and of provoking specific mucosal IgA when administered in the mucosal associated lymphoid tissue.