Induction of specific cytotoxic activity for bovine herpesvirus-1 by DNA immunization with different adjuvants

It is well documented that adjuvants improve the immune response generated by traditional viral vaccines; however, less is known about their effects on the immune response elicited by DNA vaccines. In this study, we have investigated the use of adjuvants, and have analyzed the humoral and cellular specific immune responses elicited by DNA vaccines based on the BoHV-1 glycoprotein D (secreted version) in pCIneo vector with and without Montanide ISA25 (O/W), ISA206 VG (SEPPIC) and Cliptox™ (natural microparticles of clinoptilolite). The comparison of the immune response induced in mice by pCIgD formulated with or without adjuvants showed that the immunomodulators affect the total specific humoral and cellular response. The isotypes induced by these adjuvants were of the type Th1/Th2. A significant increase in the mac-3+ and F4/80+ populations of the groups receiving pCIneo with ISA25, ISA206; and an increase in CD4+ populations of the group receiving pCIneo ISA25, in comparison with the pCIneo group was observed. On the other hand, mice vaccinated with pCIgD/ISA25, pCIgD/ISA206, or pCIgD/Cliptox developed a significantly higher specific cytotoxic activity against BoHV-1 than the pCIgD and pCIneo groups. In this report we propose the use of ISA25, ISA206 or Cliptox as adjuvants in a DNA vaccine since they are able to induce not only a specific humoral immune response but also a specific cellular immune response.