Scientific publications
The extra domain A from fibronectin targets antigens to TLR4-expressing cells and induces cytotoxic T cell responses in vivo
Lasarte JJ, Casares N, Gorraiz M, Hervás-Stubbs S, Arribillaga L, Mansilla C, Durantez M, Llopiz D, Sarobe P, Borrás-Cuesta F, Prieto J, Leclerc C.
Area de Hepatología y Terapia Génica, Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, Avenida Pío XII 55, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
Vaccination strategies based on the in vivo targeting of Ags to dendritic cells (DCs) are needed to improve the induction of specific T cell immunity against tumors and infectious agents. In this study, we have used a recombinant protein encompassing the extra domain A from fibronectin (EDA), an endogenous ligand for TLR4, to deliver Ags to TLR4-expressing DC.
The purified EDA protein was shown to bind to TLR4-expressing HEK293 cells and to activate the TLR4 signaling pathway. EDA also stimulated the production by DC of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 or TNF-alpha and induced their maturation in vitro and in vivo.
A fusion protein between EDA and a cytotoxic T cell epitope from OVA efficiently presented this epitope to specific T cells and induced the in vivo activation of a strong and specific CTL response. Moreover, a fusion protein containing EDA and the full OVA also improved OVA presentation by DC and induced CTL responses in vivo. These EDA recombinant proteins protected mice from a challenge with tumor cells expressing OVA.
These results strongly suggest that the fibronectin extra domain A may serve as a suitable Ag carrier for the development of antiviral or antitumoral vaccines.
CITATION J Immunol. 2007 Jan 15;178(2):748-56