title: Mtb32 is a promising tuberculosis antigen for DNA vaccination in pre- and post-exposure mouse models.
abstract: Identification of antigens that provide protective immunity via prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical for the development of subunit vaccines for tuberculosis (TB). In this study, we performed a head-to-head comparison of seven well-known TB antigens delivered by DNA vaccine, and evaluated their respective immunogenicities and protective efficacies in pre- and post-exposure mouse models. All TB antigens were designed as a chimeric fusion with Flt3-L to enhance antigen-specific T-cell immunity upon vaccination. Prophylactic vaccination with the Flt3L (F)-Mtb32 DNA vaccine elicited significant protection in both the spleen and lungs against M. tuberculosis challenge, comparable to the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine. F-Ag85A and F-Mtb32 DNA vaccines, in combination with chemotherapy, reduced the bacterial burden to undetectable levels in the lungs of all mice infected with M. tuberculosis. These data collectively indicate that the F-Mtb32 DNA vaccine confers the most efficient protective immunity that suppresses bacterial growth in the active or latent status of M. tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Postech Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: S-S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: B-Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kwack
authors.forename: E-G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Y-C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: S-N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C573996:Mtb32 antigen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C084881:flt3 ligand protein