DNA vaccines for the immunotherapy of B-cell lymphoma

Working at the International Centre for Genetic Engeneering and Biotechnology, where I started my Ph.D thesis in October '96 I have directed my research activity to the immunotherapy of B-cell malignancies by DNA vaccination. I have developed an efficent vaccination strategy to induce protection in the BCL1 lynphoma model and characterized all the elements of the antigen encoding plasmid that contribute to the induction of the immune response. In addition, I have investigated the structural requirements of the idiotypic/anti-Idiotypic interaction following scFv DNA vaccination. Thuis analysis revealed that the polyclonal anti-Id immune response induced by scFv DNA vaccination is exclusively directed against conformational combined epitopes. Remarkably, the same immunogen delivered in a different form induced also antibodies directed against chain specific determinants suggesting that the mode of presentation to the immune system may influence the specifity of the antibody response.