title: A combined DNA vaccine encoding BCSP31, SOD, and L7/L12 confers high protection against Brucella abortus 2308 by inducing specific CTL responses.
abstract: We constructed a combined DNA vaccine comprising genes encoding the antigens BCSP31, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and L7/L12 and evaluated its immunogenicity and protective efficacy. Immunization of mice with the combined DNA vaccine offered high protection against Brucella abortus (B. abortus) infection. The vaccine induced a vigorous specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) response, with higher IgG2a than IgG1 titers. Cytokine profiling performed at the same time showed a biased Th1-type immune response with significantly increased interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulation. CD8(+), but not CD4(+), T cells accumulated at significantly higher levels after administration of the vaccine. Granzyme B-producing CD8(+) T cells were significantly higher in number in samples prepared from combined DNA-vaccinated mice compared with S19-vaccinated mice, demonstrating that the cytotoxicity lysis pathway is involved in the response to Brucella infection. The success of our combined DNA vaccine in a mouse model suggests its potential efficacy against brucellosis infection in large animals.
authors.affiliation: The National Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Da-Hai
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xi-Dan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002004:Brucella Vaccine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002004:Brucella Vaccine; D016207:Cytokines; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase