Long-term anti-nucleoprotein cellular and humoral immunity is induced by intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA containing NP gene

Cytolytic T-lymphocyte-mediated killing is thought to be an important effector mechanism in controlling viral infections. Recently, we reported that intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA containing the nucleoprotein (NP) gene of the influenza virus resulted in generating nucleoprotein-specific cytolytic T cells and antibodies. Gene-injected mice were subsequently protected from a lethal challenge with live influenza virus. Here we show that a single intramuscular injection of a small dose of nucleoprotein plasmid DNA generates nucleoprotein-specific cellular and humoral immune responses that last 1 year. The cellular response is associated with the CD8+ subpopulation of T cells. Thus, plasmid DNA injections can be used to induce long-lasting immune responses against the viral gene product without an exposure to live virus itself.