Coimmunization of Agaricus blazei Murill extract with hepatitis B virus core protein through DNA vaccine enhances cellular and humoral immune responses.

DNA vaccines induce protective humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in several animal models. Agaricus blazei Murill (ABM) is particularly rich in polysaccharides, and has shown particularly strong results in treating and preventing cancers. The goal of this study was to investigate whether co-immunization of the fungus ABM with hepatitis B virus (HBV) core DNA vaccine could increase the immune responses. Compared with the control mice which received hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) alone, significant increase in not only the HBcAg-specific antibody response but also T cell proliferation was observed in mice which received HBcAg DNA vaccine plus ABM extract. These results suggest that ABM extract might represent an adjuvant to improve the efficacy of DNA vaccines in vivo.