The Experimental Study on Treating Transgenic HBV Mice with Recombined IL-2-PreS DNA Vaccine

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and mechanism of hIL-2-preS DNA vaccine as prevention and therapeutic approach against Hepatitis B. Eukaryon expression vector involving hIL-2 and preS gene was constructed with recombinant technique and transferred into normal BALB/c mice and HBV transgenic mice (Tg-Mice) respectively. Then a series of detection were performed: detection of anti-preS2, HBs antibody and HBsAg in BALB/c mice and Tg-mice with ELISA, quantification of HBV DNA copies in HBV Tg-mice serum with real-time PCR, determination of hepatitis degree with immunopathological HE staining and detection of liver function. Anti-preS1 can be detected at 4 th , 6 th and 10 th week in inoculated BALB/c mice. Injection with gene gun gained an advantage over muscular and subcutaneous injection since it acquired just 1/10 inoculation quantity (10 μg/mouse). Highest expression of IgG2a at 4 th week suggested Th1-mediated immune response, which facilitated HBV cleaning. Of all inoculated HBV Tg-mice, 80% of them showed anti-preS2, HBs antibody positive and HBV DNA decreased, and 20% showed negative for HBsAg. HE staining to hepatic tissue showed obvious infiltration of inflammatory cells, swelling and granular degeneration of hepatocytes. In our study, IL-2-preS DNA vaccine which can provoke the humoral and cellular immune response and break the immune tolerance supports the designation and construction of new vaccine against HBV and specific immune remedy for HBV continuous infection.