Adenovirus co-expressing CD40 ligand and interleukin (IL)-2 contributes to maturation of dendritic cells and production of IL-12.

The aim of the present study was to construct a chimeric adenovirus (Ad)5/F35 co-expressing human CD4O ligand (CD4OL) and interleukin (IL)-2 (Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2). The infection efficiency to human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs), expression of genes, phenotype changes and IL-12 production of Mo-DC by Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 were investigated. CD40L and IL-2 from total RNA extracted from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cloned by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and used to construct Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2. The infection efficiency, expression of CD40L, and phenotype changes of Mo-DC infected with Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 were analyzed using flow cytometry. The quantities of IL-2 and IL-12 in the supernatants of Mo-DC following infection of Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The CD40L and IL-2 genes were successfully cloned and the Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 was constructed. Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 efficiently infected Mo-DCs with an infection efficiency of >75%, and the infected Mo-DCs expressed CD40L and secreted IL-2. The expression levels of cluster of differentiation (CD)80, CD86, CD40, and human leukocyte antigen-antigen D related on Mo-DC were moderate; however, CD83 was low prior to infection of Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2. Those molecules, particularly CD83, were markedly upregulated 24 h after the infection. Increasing quantities of IL-12 in the supernatants were detected subsequent to infection at different time points in a time-dependent manner. Thus, Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 efficiently infected human Mo-DCs and its products, CD40L and IL-2, were subsequently expressed. In addition, infection with Ad5/F35 CD40L-IL-2 stimulated the maturation of Mo-DC and high levels of IL-12 production.