In this study, we used the same strategy to immunize the donor mice. Mice immunized with a combined HCV vaccine consisting of both HCVcore/E1/E2 DNA and selleck compound protein and the

adjuvant montanide A51 showed humoral and cellular antiviral immune responses. The ELISA assay demonstrated a significant increase in the antibody titer against HCV immunogens. There was a significant increase in total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a after the third immunization at 1:900 antibody titer (* P < 0.005) (Figure 1). Similarly, in response to HCV antigens CD4+ T cell proliferation was demonstrated by CFSE staining. After the last immunization the splenocytes were cultured in the presence of core, E1 and E2 polyprotein VX-770 chemical structure or core peptides. There was a marked increase in the proliferation response of the immunized mouse splenocytes when they were stimulated with HCV Core/E1/E2 or core peptides, as indicated by the decrease in the CFSE stain intensity. As the cells proliferate, the cell population shifts to a lower intensity due to the decrease of staining in the cell membranes of proliferating cells. Daughter cells have half the fluorescent intensity of the parent cells (Figure 2). CD8+ T cell cytolytic activity was demonstrated by INF-γ production using intracellular staining and ELISPOT. INF-γ production was significantly higher in immunized mice compared

to controls (Figure 3, 4). Approximately 2% of Bay 11-7085 the CD8+ check details T cells produced IFN-γ when they were stimulated with HCV core peptide and 1.75% of the cells produced IFN-γ when they stimulated with vaccinia encoding HCV recombinant proteins (vaccinia HCV poly) (Figure 3c, d). These results were confirmed by IFN-γ ELISPOT. It indicated that splenocytes from immunized mice produced significantly more IFN-γ when they were stimulated with core, E1 and E2 protein, core peptides or vaccinia encoding HCV recombinant proteins (vaccinia

HCV poly) (P < 0.05) (Figure 4). Figure 1 Humoral immune responses of the donor mice immunized with HCV immunogens as determined by ELISA. Seven mice were immunized with HCV immunogens containing HCV plasmid DNA, HCV recombinant polyprotein and montanide. Mice were immunized three times intramuscularly and boosted twice with the same vaccine. After the third immunization, serum samples were collected, serially diluted and tested for reactivity with HCV core, E1 and E2 protein. Sera were collected from the mice pre-immunization were used as a baseline. Immunized mice had significant increase in total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a after the third immunization at 1:900 antibody titer (* P < 0.05). Figure 2 CD4 + T cell proliferation response of HCV-immunized mice. The splenocytes were stained with CFSE dye and incubated with different stimulants for 4 days. Cells were stained for surface markers using anti-CD3+ and CD4+-antibodies and tested using flow cytometry.