Although I'm only involved in in vitro experiments, my experience is that
plasmid DNA in general - whether it contains a eukaryotic expression
cassette or not - is highly immunostimulatory (provokes IFN-gamma, IL12 and
IL6 production by lymphocytes; see also Klinman DM et al. PNAS (1996) 93, pp
2879-83).
About cryptic ORF's, you should check Van Hall T et al. Cancer Res 1998; 58:
3087-3093.
Good luck,
Viggo
Arron Mungul wrote in message ...
>Have many people experienced problems using cotransfected empty vector in
>immunisation protocols?
>e.g. did not include empty antigen (Ag) vector control in the following
>experiment:
>>Marker + Ag
>Marker + ?_
>>Could the empty antigen vector affect immunisation even if no proteins
>could be expressed in mammalian cells? (only has ampicillin marker under
>bacterial promoter).
>i only know of cases where the vector contains CpG islands and may raise
>an immune response, or if the promoter is bi-directional and produces
>cryptic epitopes within the vector, but am not sure about naked,
>non-expressing DNA.
>>your help is much appreciated
>>Arron Mungul
