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Table 1 Comparison of promoters used in DNA expression studies in vitro and in vivo

From: DNA vaccines: improving expression of antigens

Expressed antigen

Promoters/enhancers compared

In vitro/in vivo comparison

Reference

GFP

CMV, muscle-specific creatine kinase (CKM) promoter

Consistently higher levels of GFP expression were driven by the CKM promoter compared to CMV in mice.

[5]

LacZ

CMV, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter

Injection of mice with the constructs containing the different promoters showed that GFAP is as efficient at driving lacZ expression as CMV.

[6]

CAT

HIV-1-LTR (long terminal repeat), RSV-TAR (transactivation response element)

HIV-1-LTR could be transactivated by tat in both stimulated and unstimulated cells; RSV-TAR was only transactivated in unstimulated cells.

[7]

CAT

CMV, RSV, SV40, murine leukemia virus (SL3-3) promoter

The CMV promoter was found to be stronger than any of the other promoters tested in muscle.

[8]

CAT

CMV, SV2

The CMV promoter was found to have greatest transcriptional activity.

[9]

Luciferase

CMV, RSV, SV40, PGK, hybrid β-actin promoter/CMV enhancer, CMV/IA (intron A)

The hybrid β-actin/CMV promoter/enhancer showed greater luciferase expression than RSV, SV40, PGK or CMV. CMV/IA also showed 2–6 fold in vitro and 1.5–3 fold in vivo higher luciferase expression than CMV.

[10]

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)

CMV, desmin

The promoters performed equally well in vitro, and CTL and Th1 serum antibody responses against HbsAg in mice were of similar magnitude.

[11]

Hepatitis B envelope proteins

CMV, desmin

Greater in vitro expression of antigen was attributed to the desmin promoter. However, comparable humoral and cytotoxic immune responses were stimulated following i.m. injection of mice.

[12]

Rabies virus G protein

CMV, SV40

Comparable G antigen-specific antibody titres were stimulated in mice. Slightly higher T cell responses were observed from the CMV construct.

[13]

Influenza virus H5 hemagglutinin (HA)

CMV, β-actin

Constructs containing the CMV or β-actin promoters provided comparable protection against influenza in chickens.

[14]

Influenza virus H5 hemagglutinin (HA)

CMV, β-actin, RSV, SV40

Similar in vitro expression of HA. The greatest HA-specific antibody and protection against influenza in chickens was provided with the CMV construct.

[15]

Bovine herpesvirus glycoprotein D (gD)

RSV, CMV/IA

CMV/IA construct produced higher neutralising antibody titres against gD in i.d. injected cattle.

[16]

HIV-1 gag/env

CMV, AKV murine leukemia viral long terminal repeat

CMV showed 10–20 fold greater activity than AKV in vitro. Immunised macaques developed high humoral responses with the CMVconstruct only.

[17]

SV40 large tumour antigen

CMV, SV40

The CMV construct induced higher levels of antibody and protection in the murine experimental metastasis model than the SV40 construct.

[18]

M. tuberculosis apa + pro proteins

CMV, UbC

The CMV promoter was the most efficient tested.

[19]

Adenovirus E4 ORF3

CMV, RSV, SV40, UbC, EF-1α

Following i.n. dosing to mice, constructs containing the UbC and EF-1α promoters stimulated the most stable expression of antigen

[20]