Immunization with soluble hepatitis B virus surface protein elicits murine H-2 class I-restricted CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in vivo.

Immunization with soluble proteins only rarely induces a specific response of CD8+ CTL. We describe experiments that demonstrate the efficient and specific in vivo priming of CTL in BALB/c mice immunized with soluble hepatitis B virus (HBV)-derived surface (S) protein. A single (s.c., i.p. or i.v.) injection of a low dose (30 ng to 3 micrograms per mouse) of recombinant S protein particles without adjuvants induced a CTL response. This specific cytotoxic response was read out against a panel of different S protein-expressing transfected mouse cell lines. Effector cells of this response were Ld-restricted, CD3+ CD4- CD8+ CTL. H-2d/Ld+ (BALB/c, C.B-17) mice were responders; H-2d/Ld- (dm2) mutant mice and H-2b (C57BL/6) mice were nonresponders. Injections of various dosages of a S protein-derived, immunogenic, synthetic peptide into BALB/c mice by various routes did not prime CTL. After incorporation of S protein particles into IFA or aluminum hydroxide, these protein Ag lost their ability to specifically stimulate CTL in vivo. After priming of mice with S protein emulsified in IFA or adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide boost injections with native S protein particles were inefficient in stimulating a specific CTL response. These findings are of relevance for the design of synthetic subunit vaccines for which specific stimulation of CD8+ T effector functions is desired.