title: Immunization onto bare skin with heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli enhances immune responses to coadministered protein and peptide antigens and protects mice against lethal toxin challenge.
abstract: In this study, the potential of the bare skin as a non-invasive route for vaccination was examined. Following application of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) of Escherichia coli onto bare skin of BALB/c mice, strong serum anti-LT antibody responses were observed, and mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies were measured in vagina washes. In addition, LT enhanced the serum and mucosal antibody and proliferative T-cell responses to the model protein antigen beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) when coadministered onto bare skin, highlighting its potential to exert an adjuvant effect. When a peptide representing a T-helper epitope (aa 307-319) from the haemagglutinin of influenza virus was applied onto bare skin with LT or cholera toxin (CT), it primed effectively peptide- and virus-specific T cells, as measured in vitro by the interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion assay. LT was shown to be as immunogenic as CT. Binding activity to GM1 gangliosides was essential for effective induction of anti-CT serum and mucosal antibody responses. Finally, mice immunized onto bare skin with LT were protected against intraperitoneal challenge with a lethal dose of the homologous toxin. These findings give further support to a growing body of evidence on the potential of skin as a non-invasive route for vaccine delivery. This immunization strategy might be advantageous for vaccination programmes in Third World countries, because administration by this route is simple, painless and economical.
authors: Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Beignon
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Briand
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Muller
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Partidos
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005260:Female; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000378:metabolism; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods*; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; D002772:Cholera Toxin; C027538:heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli