title: Expression of HC subunits from Clostridium botulinum types C and D and their evaluation as candidate vaccine antigens in mice.
abstract: Two proteins representing the heavy-chain subunits of botulinum neurotoxin types C and D were expressed in Escherichia coli, and their vaccine potential was evaluated. Mice were vaccinated with doses ranging from 0.5 to 10 microg and were challenged with 10 to 10(5) 50% lethal doses of toxin. For the type C subunit protein, C50, two doses of 2 microg were required for full protection, while, for type D subunit protein, D50, two 1- microg doses were required. A bivalent vaccine consisting of a mixture of these two proteins also provided protection against both botulinum neurotoxin type C and type D challenge. Antibody levels in serum were determined by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and serum neutralization assays
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia. lynn.woodward@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arimitsu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oguma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D014611:Vaccination; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C096325:botulinum toxin type D; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; C096324:botulinum toxin type C