Bacteria as DNA vaccine carriers for genetic immunization

Genetic immunization with plasmid DNA vaccines has proven to be a promising tool in conferring protective immunity in various experimental animal models of infectious diseases or tumors. Recent research focuses on the use of bacteria, in particular enteroinvasive species, as effective carriers for DNA vaccines. Attenuated strains of Shigella flexneri, Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica or Listeria monocytogenes have shown to be attractive candidates to target DNA vaccines to immunological inductive sites at mucosal surfaces. This review summarizes recent progress in bacteria-mediated delivery of plasmid DNA vaccines in the field of infectious diseases and cancer.