title: Evaluation of recombinant Onchocerca volvulus activation associated protein-1 (ASP-1) as a potent Th1-biased adjuvant with a panel of protein or peptide-based antigens and commercial inactivated vaccines.
abstract: Alum, the only adjuvant approved for clinical applications, can induce strong humoral (Th2) but weak cellular (Th1) immune responses. It is necessary to develop safe and effective adjuvants capable of inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses. We previously showed that activation-associated protein-1 (ASP-1) derived from Onchocerca volvulus has potent adjuvant activity. In this study, we have further evaluated the adjuvanticity of recombinant ASP-1 using a panel of recombinant proteins or synthetic peptide-based antigens, including ovalbumin (OVA), synthetic HIV peptide (HIV-p), recombinant HIV gp41 (rgp41) and HBV HBsAg, as well as three commercially available inactivated vaccines against haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), Influenza and Rabies. Our results indicate that ASP-1 induced significantly higher IgG1 (Th2-associated) and IgG2a (Th1-associated) responses than alum adjuvant against OVA antigen, HIV-p, and rgp41. Consistently, it induced similar level of IgG1 responses as alum but higher level of IgG2a and IFN-gamma-producing T cell responses than alum adjuvant against HBsAg. Further, ASP-1 improved both IgG1 and IgG2a responses to three commercial inactivated vaccines when used separately or in combination. In conclusion, the recombinant ASP-1, unlike alum adjuvant, is able to induce both Th1 and Th2-associated humoral responses and Th1 cellular responses, suggesting that it can be further developed as a promising adjuvant for subunit-based and inactivated vaccines.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology & Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Lanying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Shibo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lustigman
authors.forename: Yuxian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yusen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000276:immunology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000276:immunology*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C041524:aluminum sulfate; D010047:Ovalbumin