Induction of antiviral antibodies by DNA immunization requires neither perforin-mediated nor cd8(+)-t-cell-mediated lysis of antigen-expressing cells

Academic Article
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publication date

  • September 1999

abstract

  • DNA immunization induces antibodies to the encoded protein, which indicates that the protein must gain access to the extracellular milieu, allowing it to interact with naïve B lymphocytes. It has been suggested that antigen release may be effected by cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte-mediated lysis of transfected antigen-expressing cells; this might be particularly important for the induction of responses to a noncytopathic, cytosolic protein. Here we show that the induction of antibody responses to one such DNA-encoded protein required neither perforin nor CD8(+) T cells. In addition, there was no skewing of the immunoglobulin G isotypes in the absence of perforin.