DNA vaccines: Fundamentals and practice

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fundamentals of DNA vaccines. DNA vaccines have a number of advantages and some disadvantages as compared with other forms of immunization, such as protein vaccines or viral vector delivery systems. One of the greatest advantages of genetic vaccines is the relative ease with which they can be constructed. The simplicity of molecular biology techniques with which DNA can be manipulated also allows modifying the antigenicity of a protein. Certain antigenic epitopes can be reintroduced or deleted from a given gene of interest. Alternatively, antigenic proteins may be fused to other biologically active molecules to alter their immunogenicity. In addition, more than one plasmid may be co-injected at a time to manipulate the desired immune response to the antigen. The synthesis and purification of pDNA are also relatively simple as compared with the conventional vaccines using attenuated pathogens or recombinant proteins. DNA is relatively heat stable, which is especially beneficial for developing nations where refrigeration is not readily available. The chapter discusses the science of gene immunization and the principles of DNA immunization. It also discusses the pros and cons of DNA vaccination.