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.
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.
Cassataro
Juliana
J
Laboratorio de Inmunogenética, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. jucassat@ffyb.uba.ar
Pasquevich
Karina A
KA
Estein
Silvia M
SM
Laplagne
Diego A
DA
Zwerdling
Astrid
A
de la Barrera
Silvia
S
Bowden
Raúl
R
Fossati
Carlos A
CA
Giambartolomei
Guillermo H
GH
Goldbaum
Fernando A
FA
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*
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