DNA immunization confers protection against lethal lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection.

DNA vaccination has been evaluated with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model system. Plasmid DNA encoding the LCMV nucleoprotein, when injected intramuscularly, induces both antiviral antibodies and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Injection of DNA encoding the nucleoprotein or the viral glycoprotein confers protection against normally lethal LCMV challenge in a major histocompatibility complex-dependent manner. The protection conferred is incomplete, but it is most probably mediated by the induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes.