OBJECTIVESTo construct a novel virus-like particulate peptide-nucleic acid vaccine (VPNV) of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), and to study its anti-liver cancer immunity.

METHODSA cationic antigenic peptide was synthesized and purified, and then human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) and TERT gene were cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pTCAE. The peptide was combined with the nucleic acid vaccine to make a VPNV, which was transfected into eukaryotic cell COS-7. The immunogenicity of hGM-CSF and hTERT were detected using ELISA and Western blot. The efficacy of VPNV for inducing antigen specific CTL response was determined using the lactate dehydrogenase release method.

RESULTSVPNV was verified capable to trigger specific CTL responses and has shown a specific cytolytic activity to liver cancer cell HepG2.

CONCLUSIONA VPNV which can stimulate antigen specific CTL response was successfully constructed. This paves the way for our further investigation of anti-liver cancer immunity in mice.