Perspectives on DNA vaccines. Targeting staphylococcal adhesins to prevent implant infections

DNA vaccines consist of a plasmid DNA genetically engineered to produce one or more proteins able to elicit protective immune responses against virulence factors of infectious pathogens. Once introduced into the cells of the host, a DNA vaccine induces a high production of antigens by the endogenous presence of the peptide codifying gene; improves antigen processing and presentation; may be able to simultaneously co-express multiple antigenic molecules; and, lastly, switches on both humoral and cellular immune responses. In this mini-review, we underscore the advantageous characteristics of DNA vaccines compared with traditional ones and provide summaries of some of the more recent studies on them, mainly focusing the possibility of their use in targeting the staphylococcal adhesins that play a key role in the first adhesive phase of implant infections. (Int J Artif Organs 2009; 32: 635-41)