Basic Research
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2007; 13(28): 3847-3854
Published online Jul 28, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i28.3847
Molecular mechanism of immune response induced by foreign plasmid DNA after oral administration in mice
Jian-Wen Liu, Jun Cheng
Jian-Wen Liu, Jun Cheng, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Beijing 100011, China
Jian-Wen Liu, School of Food Science & Technology, Southern Yangtze University, Wuxi 214036, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30270970
Correspondence to: Dr. Jian-Wen Liu, RM. 610 Maxdo Centre, No. 8 Xingyi road, HongQiao Development Zone, Shanghai 200336, China. ljw_ftpt@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-21-52082925
Received: February 16, 2007
Revised: March 23, 2007
Accepted: March 26, 2007
Published online: July 28, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To study immune response induced by foreign plasmid DNA after oral administration in mice.

METHODS: Mice were orally administered with 200 μg of plasmid pcDNA3 once and spleen was isolated 4 h and 18 h after administration. Total RNA was extracted from spleen and gene expression profile of BALB/c mice spleen was analyzed by using Affymetrix oligonucleotide GeneChip. Functional cluster analysis was conducted by GenMAPP software.

RESULTS: At 4 h and 18 h after oral plasmid pcDNA3 administration, a number of immune-related genes, including cytokine and cytokine receptors, chemokines and chemokine receptor, complement molecule, proteasome, histocompatibility molecule, lymphocyte antigen complex and apoptotic genes, were up-regulated. Moreover, MAPPFinder results also showed that numerous immune response processes were up-regulated. In contrast, the immunoglobulin genes were down-regulated.

CONCLUSION: Foreign plasmid DNA can modulate the genes expression related to immune system via the gastrointestinal tract, and further analysis of the related immune process may help understand the molecular mechanisms of immune response induced by foreign plasmid via the gastrointestinal tract.

Keywords: Foreign plasmid; Microarray; Immune system; Gastrointestinal tract; Gene expression