IL-17 as an Adjuvant Enhances Immune Responses of Recombinant Protein Vaccine

Objective:To enhance immune responses to protein vaccine,IL-17 was investigated as a molecular adjuvant to enhance humoral immune responses,especially cellular immune responses to protein vaccine.Methods: C57BL/6 mice were immunized with OVA alone,or with IL-17A by intramuscular injection.The immunization was performed on week 0,2.The concentration of the anti-OVA IgG,the stimulated index of T lymphocyte proliferation,and the expressions of IFN-γ,IL-4 and IL-17 in CD+4 T cells and IL-17,IFN-γ in CD+8 T cells,and specific in vivo cytotoxic T lymphocyte(CTL) activity were detected on week 3,4.Results: The results showed that IL-17 as a molecular adjuvant for the protein vaccine,OVA,could enhance immune responses,especially the cellular immune responses.IL-17 could not only enhance the humoral responses and T cell proliferation,but also the expressions of IL-17 in CD+4 and CD+8 T cells,and IFN-γ in CD+8 T cells.Accordingly,the level of CTL in vivo was significantly increased.Conclusion: The results demonstrated that IL-17 as a molecular adjuvant enhanced humoral and cellular immune responses to protein vaccine,especially the CD+8 T cell-immunity.The novel functionality of IL-17 on adaptive immunity may lead to develop new protein vaccine targeted to the cellular immune responses.