In vivo electroporation enhances immunogenicity and protection against influenza A virus challenge of an M2e-HSP70c DNA vaccine

► In vivo electroporation markedly enhanced delivery of M2e-HSP70c fusion gene and induced high level of influenza M2e specific antibodies. ► Evaluation of serological results determined that HSP70359-610 (HSP70c) fused to M2e drastically enhanced the immunogenicity of influenza M2e protein. ► M2e-HSP70c based DNA vaccine combined with in vivo electroporation was able to confer both protection against lethal challenge of H1N1 virus and reduce viral load in lung homogenates of the inoculated mice.