Immunization with adenovirus LIGHT-engineered dendritic cells induces potent T cell responses and therapeutic immunity in HBV transgenic mice.

•The effectiveness of peptide-pulsed DC-mediated antiviral immunity and the immunoadjuvant effect of LIGHT were evaluated.•The modification of DCs with LIGHT enhanced the expression of surface molecules and allostimulatory activities.•HBV peptide pulsed-DCs could elicit HBV-specific T cell responses and antiviral immunity.•More potent HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses and anti-HBV immunity were induced by vaccination with LIGHT-modified DCs.