Immunogenicity and Safety of HPV18 L1 DNA Vaccine

Objective To primarily evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of HPV18 L1 DNA vaccine.Methods Insert HPV18 L1 gene into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+) to construct recombinant plasmid pcDNA-L1 as a DNA vaccine.Transfect COS-7 cells with the recombinant plasmid in the mediation of liposome,and identify the antigen transiently expressed in vitro by Western blot.Inject ~BALB/c mice with recombinant plasmid pcDNA-L1 for 4 times,each at a dosage of 100 μg.Collect the sera of mice for detection of antibody by ELISA and Western blot.The distribution of DNA in tissue was analyzed by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.The titers of anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies were detected by ELISA.Results The recombinant plasmid pcDNA-L1 was effectively transcribed in eukaryotic cells and HPV18 L1 protein was successfully expressed.Specific anti-HPV18 L1 antibodies at high titers were detected in the sera of immunized mice.After immunization,the recombinant plasmid pcDNA-L1 was mainly distributed in the injection site and was removed as the time goes on.Neither anti-nuclear nor anti-dsDNA antibody was detected.Conclusion HPV18 L1 as a DNA vaccine was safe and induced specific humoral immune response in mice.It laid a foundation of further development of HPV DNA vaccine.