Virology. 2019 Mar 21;531:233-239. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.03.013. [Epub ahead of print]
Induction of humoral and cellular immune response to HBV vaccine can be up-regulated by STING ligand.
Ito H1, Kanbe A2, Hara A3, Ishikawa T4.
Author information
1
Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
2
Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
3
Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
4
Department of Medical Technology, Nagoya University School of Health Sciences, 1-20 Daikominami-1-chome, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8673, Japan.
Abstract
A persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by a lack of or a weak immune response to HBV. Efficient induction of the HBV-specific immune response leads to the clearance of HBV. Stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) is a cytoplasmic sensor of intracellular DNA from microbes and host cells. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) that is a ligand of the STING pathway as an HBV vaccine adjuvant. Wild-type (WT) mice and HBV-transgenic (HBV-Tg) mice were immunized with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and cGAMP. The vaccination with HBsAg and cGAMP significantly enhanced the humoral and cellular immune response to HBsAg in WT and HBV-Tg mice. Cytokine production related to Th1 and Th2 responses and the activation of antigen-presenting cells in lymphoid tissues were induced by cGAMP. Vaccination using cGAMP may overcome tolerance in patients with chronic HBV infection.