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Molecular Adjuvants for DNA Vaccines: Application, Design, Preparation, and Formulation

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DNA Vaccines

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2197))

Abstract

Compared with conventional vaccines, the main advantage of DNA vaccine-based methods is its continued expression of the plasmid-encoded antigens followed by the induction of subsequent humoral and cellular immunities. DNA vaccines are currently used in animal models, but limited success has been obtained for use in clinical applications due to their poor immunogenicity. Various strategies are attempted to improve the induced immune response of DNA vaccines. It has been demonstrated that co-administration of molecular adjuvants with DNA vaccines is a promising approach to effectively elicit protective immunity by increasing the transfection efficiency of DNA vaccines. Genetic adjuvants are incorporated to promote activation of the transfected local antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and immune cells in the draining lymph node and polarization of T-cell subsets to decrease T-cell tolerance to the specific antigen. Here we provide an overview of different types of genetic adjuvants. The aim of the current chapter is to present a framework for the construction of a gene-based vaccine and adjuvant. Moreover, we describe the application of DNA vaccines co-administered with different types of genetic adjuvants and the methods to evaluate their potency in the mouse models.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge Pasteur Institute of Iran for the financial support. This work was supported by Pasteur Institute of Iran (grant 1029).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Ailar Sabbaghi & Amir Ghaemi

Authors
  1. Ailar Sabbaghi
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  2. Amir Ghaemi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amir Ghaemi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. CICS-UBI – Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Ângela Sousa

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Sabbaghi, A., Ghaemi, A. (2021). Molecular Adjuvants for DNA Vaccines: Application, Design, Preparation, and Formulation. In: Sousa, Â. (eds) DNA Vaccines. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2197. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0872-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0872-2_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-0871-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-0872-2

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