Immune responses to Brugia malayi paramyosin in rodents after DNA vaccination

Immunization with recombinant Brugia malayi paramyosin protein (BM5) induces partial immunity to this filarial nematode in jirds. The present study examined the effects of intramuscular immunization with plasmid DNA that encodes BM5. DNA-immunized mice produced strong antibody and cell-mediated responses to paramyosin. The protective activity of DNA vaccination with BM5 was tested in jirds. Vaccinated jirds produced strong antibody responses to paramyosin, but adult worm recoveries after challenge were not decreased in vaccinated animals relative to controls. These studies show that DNA vaccination can induce immune responses to filarial antigens in rodents. Further efforts will be needed to achieve the goal of inducing protective immunity to filariasis with this promising new technology.