AIM: To construct a DNA vaccine against extracellular domains 1-3 of fetal liver kinase-1 (flk-1), and to investigate its preventive and therapeutic effect against H22 cellin vivo.METHODS: Flk-1 DNA vaccine was produced by cloning extracellular domains 1-3 of flk-1 and by inserting the cloned gene into pcDNA3.1 (+). Fifteen mice were divided into 3 groups and inoculated by vaccine, plasmid and saline respectively to detect specific T lymphocyte response. Thirty Mice were equally divided into preventive group and therapeutic group. Preventive group was further divided into V, P, and S subgroups, namely immunized by vaccine,pcDNA3.1 (+) and saline, respectively, and attacked by H22 cell. Therapeutical group was divided into 3 subgroups of V, P and S, and attacked by H22, then treated with vaccine, pcDNA3.1 (+) and saline, respectively. The tumor size, tumor weight, mice survival time and tumor latency period were compared within these groups. Furthermore,intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) was assessed by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: DNA vaccine pcDNA3.1 (+) flk-1-domains 1-3 was successfully constructed and could raise specific CTL activity. In the preventive group and therapeutic group,tumor latency period and survival time were significantly longer in vaccine subgroup than that in P and S subgroups (P＜0.05); the tumor size, weight and MVD were significantly less in vaccine subgroup than that in P and S subgroups (P＜0.05). The survival time of therapeutic vaccine subgroup was significantly shorter than that of preventive vaccine subgroup (P＜0.05); the tumor size, and MVD of therapeutic vaccine subgroup were significantly greater than that of preventive vaccine subgroup (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION: DNA vaccine against flk-1 domains 1-3 can stimulate potent specific CTL activity; and has distinctive prophylactic effect on tumor H22; and also can inhibit the tumor growthin vivo. This vaccine may be used as an adjuvant therapy because it is less effective on detectable tumor.