abstract |
An effective DNA vaccine to elicit an immune response against cells presenting a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) comprises a DNA that operably encodes a CEA and a DNA that operably encodes a CD40 ligand, SEQ ID NO; 1 and SEQ ID NO: 2, respectively, or its CD40LT homotrimer. The DNA vaccine can be incorporated into a release vector such as a live attenuated bacterium or virus, or a carrier liposome. In one embodiment of the method, the DNA vaccine is administered orally to a mammal such as a human, to elicit an immune response against cells that have CEA such as colon cancer cells. A preferred embodiment of the method includes the additional step of treating the mammal with the recombinant antibody fusion protein, huKS1 / 4-IL2 to improve the effectiveness of the vaccine's immune response. |