Rational design of gene-based vaccines

J Pathol. 2006 Jan;208(2):283-9. doi: 10.1002/path.1874.

Abstract

Vaccine development has traditionally been an empirical discipline. Classical vaccine strategies include the development of attenuated organisms, whole killed organisms, and protein subunits, followed by empirical optimization and iterative improvements. While these strategies have been remarkably successful for a wide variety of viruses and bacteria, these approaches have proven more limited for pathogens that require cellular immune responses for their control. In this review, current strategies to develop and optimize gene-based vaccines are described, with an emphasis on novel approaches to improve plasmid DNA vaccines and recombinant adenovirus vector-based vaccines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Adenoviridae / immunology
  • Antigen Presentation / genetics
  • Antigen Presentation / immunology
  • Bacterial Infections / genetics
  • Bacterial Infections / immunology
  • Bacterial Infections / prevention & control
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Drug Design*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / genetics
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Transfection / methods
  • Vaccines, DNA / genetics
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / genetics*
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / genetics
  • Virus Diseases / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / prevention & control

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • Vaccines, Synthetic