Immunological response to parenteral vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B virus surface antigen virus-like particles expressing Helicobacter pylori KatA epitopes in a murine H. pylori challenge model.
Virus-like particles (VLPs) based on the small envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg-S) are immunogenic at the B- and T-cell level. In this study, we inserted overlapping sequences encoding the carboxy terminus of the Helicobacter pylori katA gene product into HBsAg-S. The HBsAg-S-KatA fusion proteins were able to assemble into secretion-competent VLPs (VLP-KatA). The VLP-KatA proteins were able to induce KatA-specific antibodies in immunized mice. The mean total IgG antibody titers 41 days post-primary immunization with VLP-KatA (2.3 × 10(3)) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those observed for vaccination with VLP alone (5.2 × 10(2)). Measurement of IgG isotypes revealed responses to both IgG1 and IgG2a (mean titers, 9.0 × 10(4) and 2.6 × 10(4), respectively), with the IgG2a response to vaccination with VLP-KatA being significantly higher than that for mice immunized with KatA alone (P < 0.05). Following challenge of mice with H. pylori, a significantly reduced bacterial load in the gastric mucosa was observed (P < 0.05). This is the first report describing the use of VLPs as a delivery vehicle for H. pylori antigens.
Centre for Systems Biology, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. kotiw@usq.edu.au
Michael
M
Kotiw
Megan
M
Johnson
Manisha
M
Pandey
Scott
S
Fry
Stuart L
SL
Hazell
Hans J
HJ
Netter
Michael F
MF
Good
Colleen
C
Olive
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D058491:Bacterial Load; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D000939:Epitopes; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D002374:Catalase; C508532:katA protein, Helicobacter pylori