Expanding the antigenic repertoire of BCG improves protective efficacy against aerosol Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
We have developed a strain of the tuberculosis vaccine Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) that secretes high levels of a fusion protein comprising the immunodominant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ag85B and ESAT-6 (BCG85B-ES). Mice vaccinated with BCG85B-ES were significantly better protected in the lung against aerosol infection with virulent M. tuberculosis than animals immunized with control BCG. The growth characteristic of BCG85B-ES in host tissue was identical to control BCG, suggesting the improved protective efficacy was directly related to the expression of the Ag85B-ESAT-6 fusion protein. These results suggest that BCG85B-ES warrants further investigation to determine its suitability to control tuberculosis in humans.
Palendira
Umaimainthan
U
Mycobacterial Research Group, Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, Locked Bag No. 6, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia.
Spratt
Joanne M
JM
Britton
Warwick J
WJ
Triccas
James A
JA
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; C072681:Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens