Objective Dendritic cells (DCs) are one of the key antigen presenting cells from the immune system to mount effective immune responses against pathogens and tumours. Several approaches for clinical trials involving this cell type are currently under study, including cellular vaccination using DCs loaded with both pathogen and tumour antigens.However, these procedures, although providing promising results, are nowadays expensive and difficult to standarized. Therefore, this project will employ a rational design approach to the development of new vaccine vectors, by engineering lentivirus vectors specifically targeted to dendritic cells (DCs).For this purpose, single chain antibodies (scFvs) specific for dendritic cells will be constructed from a phage display library. DC-specific scFvs will be fused to the MLV-A envelope protein through a blocking peptide followed by a matrix metalloprotease (MMP) recognition sequence. Lentivirus vectors based on defective HIV-1 genomes will be produced from stable packaging cell lines expressing DC-targeted chimeric scFv-MLV envelopes.Transduction specificity and efficiency will be assayed both in cell cultures and in vivo. Antigens of interests will be expressed alone or co-expressed with DC-activating molecules, and immune responses against these antigens will be measured. Fields of science medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesmedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyautoimmune diseasesmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccinesmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineallergology Keywords HIV activating molecules antigen presentation dendritic cell immune response lentivirus vector Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON Address 46 cleveland st London United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data
