title: Potent neutralization of vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) of Helicobacter pylori by immunoglobulins against the soluble recombinant VacA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recombinant vacuolating cytotoxin (rVacA) of Helicobacter pylori that retains native conformational epitopes was evaluated as a vaccine antigen for anti-H. pylori treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  s1m1 vacA gene fraction encoding the mature VacA protein was expressed as a soluble protein in E. coli at low temperature. The efficacy of anti-rVacA antibody against VacA or H. pylori was assessed in vitro using AGS cells and in vivo using a murine model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rabbit antisera against rVacA completely neutralized the vacuolating activity and partially inhibited the cell death induced by VacA in AGS cells. Oral immunization of C57BL/6 mice with rVacA plus CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) as an ajuvant stimulated specific anti-VacA antibody and mucosal immune responses which correlated with decreased systemic immune responses and gastric urease activities (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rVacA antigen possessing conformational epitopes may have potential as a vaccine component and may be useful in serological and histopathological analysis.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Buk-ku, Daegu City, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Ran
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ki
authors.forename: Il-Hwa
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jin-Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung-Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ok-Kyung
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jung-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ae-Ri
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Se-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung-Keun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Kyu-Shik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D015151:Immunoblotting; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori