PLoS ONE (Jan 2012)

Targeting viral antigens to CD11c on dendritic cells induces retrovirus-specific T cell responses.

  • Asim Ejaz,
  • Christoph G Ammann,
  • Roland Werner,
  • Georg Huber,
  • Verena Oberhauser,
  • Susanne Hörl,
  • Simone Schimmer,
  • Ulf Dittmer,
  • Dorothee von Laer,
  • Heribert Stoiber,
  • Zoltán Bánki

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045102
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 9
p. e45102

Abstract

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Dendritic cells (DC) represent the most potent antigen presenting cells and induce efficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against viral infections. Targeting antigens (Ag) to receptors on DCs is a promising strategy to enhance antitumor and antiviral immune responses induced by DCs. Here, we investigated the potential of CD11c-specific single-chain fragments (scFv) fused to an immunodominant peptide of Friend retrovirus for induction of virus-specific T cell responses by DCs. In vitro CD11c-specific scFv selectively targeted viral antigens to DCs and thereby significantly improved the activation of virus-specific T cells. In vaccination experiments DCs loaded with viral Ag targeted to CD11c provided improved rejection of FV-derived tumors and efficiently primed virus-specific CTL responses after virus challenge. Since the induction of strong virus-specific T cell responses is critical in viral infections, CD11c targeted protein vaccines might provide means to enhance the cellular immune response to prophylactic or therapeutic levels.