The role of lipopolysaccharide in T-cell responses following DNA vaccination

Abstract

Bacterial products, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are potential impurities in plasmid DNA vaccines. LPS has immunostimulatory properties even at exceedingly low concentrations through activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The potency of T-cell responses after vaccination was tested with DNA containing high LPS or depleted of LPS in TLR4-competent and TLR4-deficient mice. CD8 + T-cell responses were readily induced in TLR4-deficient mice immunized with DNA depleted of LPS. LPS in DNA vaccines is not required for CD8 + T-cell responses.