Targeted salivary gland immunization with plasmid DNA elicits specific salivary immunoglobulin A and G antibodies and serum immunoglobulin G antibodies in mice.
For the development of vaccines against oral and pharyngeal pathogens invading the mucosal epithelia, both secretory and serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) have been induced. We used a novel approach, targeted salivary gland (TSG) immunization, using plasmid pcDNA3/fimA, coding for Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae. Expression of subunit protein, fimbrillin, was observed in eukaryotic cells growing in vitro following transfection with pcDNA3/fimA. In this study, we obtained good humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in BALB/c mice by TSG administration using the above-mentioned DNA vaccine. The production of fimbria-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in saliva and serum IgG antibody was significantly stimulated by TSG immunization. Injection of DNA vaccine into salivary gland elicited high-level production of antigen-specific IgG antibody, similar to that induced following intramuscular immunization. The major IgG subclass that recognized fimbriae was IgG2a in serum from pcDNA3/fimA-immunized mice. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis of mononuclear cells from salivary glands showed that levels of Th2 cytokine-specific mRNA were higher in the immunized group than in the nonimmunized group. In addition, TSG DNA immunization resulted in the generation of antigen-specific CTL in spleen. These results indicate that TSG immunization with plasmid DNA may represent a genetic immunization strategy against infection by oral and pharyngeal pathogens that may invade local, mucosal surfaces.
Kawabata
S
S
Department of Oral Microbiology, Osaka University Faculty of Dentistry, Suita-Osaka 565-0871, Japan. kawabata@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
Terao
Y
Y
Fujiwara
T
T
Nakagawa
I
I
Hamada
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D007114:Immunization; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D016207:Cytokines; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C063055:fimbrillin; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins