Immunization of BALB/c mice with Helicobacter urease B induces a T helper 2 response absent in Helicobacter infection.
OBJECTIVE
Infection with Helicobacter induces a T helper type 1 response in mice and humans. Mice can be cured or protected from infection with Helicobacter by mucosal immunization with recombinant H. pylori urease B subunit (rUreB). This study characterizes the immune response of infected mice immunized with rUreB.


METHODS
BALB/c mice were infected with H. felis. Two weeks later, they were orally immunized four times with rUreB and cholera toxin (CT) at weekly intervals. Controls were only infected or sham-immunized with CT. Animals were killed at various times after immunization. Splenic CD4(+) cells were obtained and cultured in vitro with rUreB to evaluate antigen-specific proliferation and induction of interferon gamma and interleukin 4 secretion.


RESULTS
All rUreB-immunized mice (n = 8) were cured from infection 3 weeks after the fourth immunization. Immunization induced a proliferative response of splenic CD4(+) cells, a progressive decrease in interferon gamma secretion, and a concomitant increase in interleukin 4 secretion after each immunization. A simultaneous increase in rUreB specific serum immunoglobulin G1 levels was observed in infected/immunized mice.


CONCLUSIONS
In BALB/c mice, therapeutic mucosal immunization with rUreB induces progressively a Th2 CD4(+) T cell response resulting in the elimination of the pathogen.
Saldinger
P F
PF
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Porta
N
N
Launois
P
P
Louis
J A
JA
Waanders
G A
GA
Bouzouréne
H
H
Michetti
P
P
Blum
A L
AL
Corthésy-Theulaz
I E
IE
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000201:enzymology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D007114:Immunization; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D014510:Urease / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D014510:Urease