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We sought to amplify the immune response to polynucleotide immunization through co-delivery of complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding a cytokine or co-stimulatory molecule to enhance antigen presentation. In the context of intramuscular immunization, we examined co-delivery of cDNAs for B7-1 and human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) within separate plasmids or a dual plasmid with two independent expression cassettes. Intramuscular delivery of the dual expression plasmid produced anti-CEA antibody responses and antitumor effects superior to those generated by plasmid DNA encoding CEA alone. However, co-delivery of cDNAs encoding B7-1 and CEA in the form of two separate plasmids produced no augmentation. The importance of single plasmid delivery suggests the effectiveness of this strategy is contingent upon co-expression of B7-1 and CEA within the same cell. The success of cutaneous polynucleotide immunization by particle bombardment is thought to derive largely from the presence of Langerhans cells within the skin. We hypothesized that co-delivery of plasmid DNA encoding granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by particle bombardment would enhance the antigen presenting capacity of Langerhans cells at the inoculation site similar to its effects in vitro. Augmentation of CEA-specific lymphoblastic transformation and antibody response was observed when plasmid GM-CSF (pGM-CSF) was administered 3 days prior to each dose of plasmid DNA encoding CEA. These strategies for augmentation of immune response to polynucleotide immunization should be applicable to a wide variety of antigenic targets including infectious agents and other tumor-associated antigens.

We have constructed a plasmid DNA encoding the full-length complementary DNA for human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) under transcriptional regulatory control of the cytomegalovirus early promoter/enhancer (pCEA) and demonstrated that this plasmid can function as a polynucleotide vaccine to elicit a CEA-specific immune response. This immune response protects against tumor challenge with syngeneic CEA-transduced colon carcinoma cells in mice. In the present work, the pCEA construct and purification method were modified to eliminate nonessential viral sequences, the ampicillin selectable marker, mutagens, and endotoxin to produce a reagent suitable for human clinical trials. The human use plasmid (pGT37) directs CEA expression at levels comparable with the original pCEA plasmid and can be propagated to yield large quantities of plasmid DNA based on kanamycin selection. A simple extraction technique greatly reduces contamination by endotoxin. Six weekly intramuscular injections of pGT37 elicited CEA-specific lymphoblastic transformation and antibody response in five of five mice and fully protected 10 of 10 mice against tumor challenge with syngeneic CEA-expressing colon cancer cells 42 days from the first plasmid injection. Thus, pGT37 encoding a tumor-associated antigen (CEA) has been shown to elicit cellular and humoral immune responses and mediate antitumor effects in vivo. This plasmid is suitable for human use and can be easily propagated in the laboratory.

We have constructed a plasmid DNA encoding the full-length cDNA for human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) driven by the cytomegalovirus early promoter/enhancer and demonstrated that this plasmid can function as a polynucleotide vaccine. The immune response elicited by the CEA polynucleotide vaccine is dose and schedule dependent. There appears to be a threshold dose of 50 micrograms capable of inducing CEA-specific lymphoblastic transformation, lymphokine release, and antibody response. Doses of 10 micrograms were significantly less effective. When 50-micrograms doses are employed, thrice weekly or weekly vaccination schedules more reliably elicit CEA-specific immune responses by day 43 than does an every-3-weeks schedule. Furthermore the CEA polynucleotide vaccine can immunoprotect against challenge with syngeneic CEA-transduced colon carcinoma cells as early as 3 weeks after the first vaccination. Studies are ongoing to demonstrate the ability of CEA polynucleotide vaccination to treat pre-existing syngeneic mouse colon and breast carcinomas expressing human CEA.