S.A.) as the Ag85A DNA vaccine. The gene encoding Ag85A mature protein was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using forward primer 5′-CAGGATCCGCGCGCGCAGTCTGACCCTAGTTGAGATGC-3′,

containing BamH1 cloning site; reverse primer 5′-GTCTCGAGAGGGCCGCCGCCGTTAATCGCT-3′ containing XhoI cloning site, while genome of mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain as template, and PCR product treated with DNA get extraction was inserted into cloning vector pUCm-T after transformation into competent DH5α, the pUCm-Ag85A plasmid was extracted and digested with restriction enzyme BamHI and XhoI, then was subcloned to the same sites of eukaryotic expressing vector pcDNA3.1. After transformation into competent DH5α, the clone growing in SOB agar with amp was selected and the plasmid was extracted. The determined fragment was correctly inserted

Epacadostat ic50 into the vector, which was confirmed by partial nucleotide sequencing and restriction endonuclease digestion with restriction enzyme BamHI and XhoI. The recombinant pcDNA3.1+/Ag85A plasmid was extracted with Endotoxin-free Pure Yield Plasmid extraction kit (Promega Corporation, U.S.A.). The plasmid was encapsulated into liposome with LipofectamineTM2000 (Invitrogen Corporation, selleckchem U.S.A.) as the Ag85A DNA vaccine. Six- to eight-week-old female C57BL/6 mice (H-2b) were purchased from the Academia Sinica Shanghai experimental animal center (Shanghai, China) and housed in pathogen-free conditions. All animal experiments were performed according to very the guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Ministry of Health, China, 1998) and the guidelines of the Laboratory Animal Ethical Commission of China Medical University. Endotoxin-free plasmids were prepared using an EndoFree plasmid purification mega prep kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA, USA). The mice were immunized either with 100 μg liposomal encapsulated saline control, pcDNA3.1 plasmid vehicle control and pcDNA3.1+/Ag85A DNA orally three times at biweekly intervals. Before oral administration,

gastric juice was neutralized with 300 μL Hank’s solution and 7.5% NaHCO3 (4:1) for 30 min. Small intestine from immunized mice was removed and rinsed in 0.01 mol/l PBS, and fixed in 4% para-formaldehyde for 12 h, followed by dehydration in gradient ethyl alcohol, treatment with xylene, and embedding in paraffin wax. Paraffin-embedded specimens were sliced in 4 μm sections with a microtome, and mounted on precoated slides (Dako, Glostrup, Denmark). After de-waxing of thin section in xylene, sections were treated in 3%H2O2 for 10 min, washed with 0.01 mol/l PBS for 3 times, and blocked in 5%BSA for 20 min. Sections were treated with chicken anti-Ag85A IgY (1:400, Prosci Corporation) at 4 °C overnight. After rinsing with 0.01 mol/l PBS for 3 times, sections were reacted with HRP-goat-anti-chicken IgY (1:200, Gene Corporation) at 37 °C for 30 min, followed by rinsing with 0.