title: Topical immunization onto mouse skin using a microemulsion incorporated with an anthrax protective antigen protein-encoding plasmid.
abstract: The current anthrax vaccine in the U.S., the anthrax vaccine adsorbed, has several serious drawbacks, most notably the very lengthy and complicated dosing schedule. Thus, there is a critical need to develop an alternative anthrax vaccine with a simplified immunization schedule. To address this need, we evaluated the feasibility of topically priming or boosting onto the skin using an anthrax protective antigen (PA) protein-encoding DNA vaccine. To this end, we have shown that topical immunization of mice onto their skin with a perflubron-based microemulsion incorporated with a PA63-encoding plasmid, pGPA, led to significant PA-specific antibody responses, which have anthrax lethal toxin-neutralization activity. Moreover, topical boosting of mice primed with PA protein with the pGPA-incorporated, perflubron-based microemulsion significantly enhanced the anti-PA antibody responses induced. This topical anthrax DNA vaccine has the potential to be combined with a vaccine, such as the current AVA, to produce a simplified and more convenient dosing schedule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Zhengrong.cui@oregonstate.edu
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Sloat
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology*; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004655:Emulsions; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C003072:perflubron