title: A DNA vaccine coding for the chimera BLSOmp31 induced a better degree of protection against B. ovis and a similar degree of protection against B. melitensis than Rev.1 vaccination.
abstract: In the present study, we reported an attempt to improve the immunogenicity and protective capacity of the chimera BLSOmp31 using a different antigen delivery: DNA vaccination. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with the DNA vaccine coding for the chimera BLSOmp31 (pCIBLSOmp31) provided the best protection level against Brucella ovis, which was significantly higher than the given by the co-delivery of both plasmids coding for the whole proteins (pcDNABLS+pCIOmp31) and even higher than the control vaccine Rev.1. Moreover, pCIBLSOmp31 induced higher protection against Brucella melitensis than pcDNABLS+pCIOmp31 but similar protection than Rev.1. The chimera induced a strong humoral response against the inserted peptide. It also induced peptide- and BLS-specific cytotoxic T responses. The insertion of this peptide on BLS induced stronger T helper 1 responses specific for the carrier (BLS), thus our results represent a case of synergic strengthening between two Brucella antigens. Hitherto, this is the first indication that a recombinant subunit vaccine elicits greater protection than whole Brucella.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunogenética, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. jucassat@ffyb.uba.ar
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cassataro
authors.forename: Karina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pasquevich
authors.forename: Silvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Estein
authors.forename: Diego A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Laplagne
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zwerdling
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de la Barrera
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fossati
authors.forename: Guillermo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Giambartolomei
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Goldbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000276:immunology*; D042061:Brucella ovis / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C101108:Omp31 protein, Brucella melitensis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C471349:Rev.1 vaccine, Brucella melitensis; D019444:Vaccines, DNA