Abstract: Objective To investigate the role of human interferon （IFN）α-2b in cellular and humoral immune response in BALB/c mice. Methods 　　Plasmids pcDNA3.1（+）-HPV11-E7 and pcDNA3.1（+）- IFNα-2b-linker-HPV11-E7 were constructed. Twenty-eight BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups to be immunized with pcDNA3.1（+）-IFNα-2b-linker-HPV11-E7 （group D）, pcDNA3.1（+）-HPV11-E7（group C）, pcDNA3.1（+）（group B）, phosphate buffered solution （group A）, respectively, by intramuscular injection. Repetitive immunization was carried out on week 2 and 4. On week 6, mice were killed, splenocytes were isolated, cultured, and stimulated followed by the detection of expression level of IFN-γ, interleukin （IL）-4 and -10 in CD3+ cells and CD4+ cells. Results The level of IFN-γ （expressed as the absorbance at 460 nm） in group C was significantly higher than that in groups A and B （4.36 ± 0.42 vs 3.20 ± 0.41 and 3.29 ± 0.35, both P < 0.001）, but lower than that in group D （4.36 ± 0.42 vs 6.39 ± 0.05, P < 0.001）, and there was no significant difference between group A and B （P > 0.05）. No significant difference was noted in the levels of IL-4 or IL-10 among these 4 groups （P > 0.05）. Conclusions IFNα-2b can enhance the immunogenicity of HPV11-E7 and strengthen cellular immunity, especially Th1-type immune response to HPV11-E7 DNA vaccine in mice.

Key words: Condyloma Acuminatum, Human papilloma virus