title: Mucosal inoculation of Lactobacillus expressing hCGbeta induces an anti-hCGbeta antibody response in mice of different strains.
abstract: To show that an anti-human chorionic gonadotrophin-beta (hCGbeta) antibody response can be induced by inoculating Lb. expressing hCGbeta through different mucosal pathways in mice of two strains, female BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were immunized via vaginal, oral or nasal routes with 10(8), 10(9), and 10(10)Lb.hCGbeta (a recombinant Lactobacillus expressing hCGbeta). The mice were immunized twice with a booster in study week 3. An indirect ELISA was used to determine anti-hCGbeta IgG and IgA antibodies in vaginal lavage and serum, obtained from the 2nd to 8th week after the primary immunization. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the lymphocyte proliferation from these tissues, 1 week after the primary immunization. The hCGbeta antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells of spleen, uterus, and vagina were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot), 2 weeks after the booster. The analysis showed that 10(9) and 10(10)Lb.hCGbeta inoculations induced similar anti-hCGbeta antibody responses, while the three mucosal pathways induced similar antibody responses. The antiserum obtained after boosters with 10(9) and 10(10)Lb. hCGbeta was able to neutralize more than 100 ng/ml hCG antigen, both in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. The highest antibody titer induced by vaginal mucosal immunization was stronger than that obtained via the other mucosal pathways. The B cells in the vagina appeared to proliferate after vaginal immunization (P<0.05). The numbers of anti-hCGbeta IgG and IgA antibody-secreting cells in the uterus and vagina were greater than in the spleen. Therefore, the vaginal mucosal route appears to be a better immunization pathway to induce higher anti-hCGbeta antibody levels in the reproductive tract.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital and Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Min-Min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Da-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology*; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000166:cytology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000235:genetics*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000276:immunology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive