Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model

Louis, Lumena; Wise, Megan C.; Choi, Hyeree; Villarreal, Daniel O.; Muthumani, Kar; Weiner, David B.

doi:10.3390/vaccines7020042

Open AccessArticle

Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model

by

Lumena Louis

¹,

Megan C. Wise

²,

Hyeree Choi

¹,

Daniel O. Villarreal

³,

Kar Muthumani

¹ and

David B. Weiner

^1,*

¹

Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

²

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, USA

³

Incyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Vaccines 2019, 7(2), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7020042

Submission received: 4 April 2019 / Revised: 17 May 2019 / Accepted: 18 May 2019 / Published: 22 May 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in DNA Vaccines)

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Abstract

Identification of novel molecular adjuvants which can boost and enhance vaccine-mediated immunity and provide dose-sparing potential against complex infectious diseases and for immunotherapy in cancer is likely to play a critical role in the next generation of vaccines. Given the number of challenging targets for which no or only partial vaccine options exist, adjuvants that can address some of these concerns are in high demand. Here, we report that a designed truncated Interleukin-36 gamma (IL-36 gamma) encoded plasmid can act as a potent adjuvant for several DNA-encoded vaccine targets including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, and Zika in immunization models. We further show that the truncated IL-36 gamma (opt-36γt) plasmid provides improved dose sparing as it boosts immunity to a suboptimal dose of a Zika DNA vaccine, resulting in potent protection against a lethal Zika challenge.

Keywords: IL-36; adjuvant; DNA; Zika

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MDPI and ACS Style

Louis, L.; Wise, M.C.; Choi, H.; Villarreal, D.O.; Muthumani, K.; Weiner, D.B. Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model. Vaccines 2019, 7, 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7020042

AMA Style

Louis L, Wise MC, Choi H, Villarreal DO, Muthumani K, Weiner DB. Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model. Vaccines. 2019; 7(2):42. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7020042

Chicago/Turabian Style

Louis, Lumena, Megan C. Wise, Hyeree Choi, Daniel O. Villarreal, Kar Muthumani, and David B. Weiner. 2019. "Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model" Vaccines 7, no. 2: 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7020042

APA Style

Louis, L., Wise, M. C., Choi, H., Villarreal, D. O., Muthumani, K., & Weiner, D. B. (2019). Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model. Vaccines, 7(2), 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines7020042

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Designed DNA-Encoded IL-36 Gamma Acts as a Potent Molecular Adjuvant Enhancing Zika Synthetic DNA Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection in a Lethal Challenge Model

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