Manipulating NF-kappaB is Crucial in Better Vaccine Development

Byron's Comments:

While activating NF-kappB directly will reduce the toxicity of current vaccines - there will be other risks because NF-kappaB does so many things in one’s body.

Study Title:

Activation of NF-kappaB by the intracellular expression of NF-kappaB-inducing kinase acts as a powerful vaccine adjuvant.

Study Abstract:

There is a pressing need for adjuvants that will enhance the effectiveness of genetic vaccines. This is particularly important in cancer and infectious disease such as HIV and malaria for which successful vaccines are desperately needed. Here, we describe an approach to enhance immunogenicity that involves the activation of NF-kappaB by the transgenic expression of an intracellular signaling molecule, NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK). In vitro, NIK increases dendritic cell antigen presentation in allogeneic and antigen-specific T cell proliferation assays by potently activating NF-kappaB and consequently up-regulating the expression of cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18), chemokines [IL-8, RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-3], MHC antigen-presenting molecules (class I and II), and costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86). In vivo, NIK enhances immune responses against a vector-encoded antigen and shifts them toward a T helper 1 immune response with increased IgG2a levels, T cell proliferation, IFN-gamma production, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses more potently than complete Freund’s adjuvant, a very efficacious T helper 1-inducing adjuvant. These findings define NIK, and possibly other inducers of NF-kappaB activation, as a potent adjuvant strategy that offers great potential for genetic vaccine development.

Study Information:

Andreakos E, Williams RO, Wales J, Foxwell BM, Feldmann M. Activation of NF-kappaB by the intracellular expression of NF-kappaB-inducing kinase acts as a powerful vaccine adjuvant. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 September 103(39):14459-64.
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Division, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London W6 8LH, United Kingdom.

Full Study:

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/103/39/14459