Background: Liver fluke can infect cattle and sheep, and is also emerging as a human pathogen in developing countries. Cathepsin B (Cat B2) is a major cysteine protease secreted by the juvenile flukes. To enhance the immune responses of Cat B2, the cDNA sequence was fused with four different DNA vaccine vectors. The induced cellular and antibody responses were compared in vaccinated mice. Metho...

Dengue virus infection is a serious health problem infecting 2.5 billion people worldwide. Dengue is now endemic in more than 100 countries, including Pakistan. Each year hundreds of people get infected with dengue in Pakistan. Currently, there is no vaccine available for the prevention of Dengue virus infection due to four viral serotypes. Dengue infection can cause death of patients in its mo...

The science of medical genetics is progressing rapidly. The practical importance of this pro­gress should be considered by medical doctors. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the abnormail phenotypes considered diseases. The relative significance of the two factors varies from disease to disease. All di­seases can be viewed as falling on a spectrum in this regard. Hereditary...

Background: Tumor cells such as leukemia and lymphoma cells are possible targets for gene therapy. However, previously leukemia and lymphoma cells have been demonstrated to be resistant to most of non-viral gene transfer methods. Methods: The aim of this study was to analyze various methods for transfection of primary leukemia cells and leukemia cell lines and to improve the efficiency of gene ...

Background: The use of optimized delivery devices has been shown to enhance the potency of DNA vaccines. However, further optimization of DNA vaccine delivery is needed for this vaccine modality to ultimately be efficacious in humans. Methods: Herein we evaluated antigen expression and immunogenicity after intradermal delivery of different doses of DNA vaccines by needle or by the Biojector jet...

Background: Studies have shown that DNA vaccines can induce protective immunity, which demonstrated the high potential of DNA vaccines as an alternative to inactivated vaccines. Vaccines are frequently formulated with adjuvants to improve their release, delivery and presentation to the host immune system. Methods: The H5 gene of H5N1 virus (A/Ck/Malaysia/5858/04) was cloned separately into pcDN...

Background: Malaria causes immense human morbidity and mortality globally. The plasmodium species vivax and falciparum cause over 75 % clinical malaria cases. Until now, gene-based strategies against malaria have only been applied to plasmodium species and their mosquito-vector. Merozoites of these two respective plasmodium species target and invade red blood cells (RBCs) by using the duffy ant...

Development of various vaccines for prostate cancer (PCa) is becoming an active research area. PCa vaccines are perceived to have less toxicity compared with the available cytotoxic agents. While various immune-based strategies can elicit anti-tumour responses, DNA vaccines present increased efficacy, inducing both humoural and cellular immunity. This immune activation has been proven effective...

Background: Gp41 is an envelope glycoprotein of human immune deficiency virus (HIV). HIV viral glycoprotein gp41, present in complex with gp120, assists the viral entry into host cell. Over eighty thousands individuals are HIV infected in Pakistan which makes about 0.2% of 38.6 million infected patients worldwide. Hence, HIV gp41 protein sequences isolated in Pakistan were analyzed for the CD4 ...

The prevalence of familial atrial fibrillation (AF) in the general population and structure AF is considered, genetic predictors pathogenetic mechanisms remodeling are analyzed. assessment risk occurrence, prediction its outcomes effectiveness therapy, as well prospects for gene therapy discussed.