Maltose-binding protein is a potential carrier for oral immunizations.
Maltose binding protein (MBP) is often fused to a relevant protein to improve its yield and facilitate its purification, but MBP can also enhance the immunogenicity of the fused proteins. Recent data suggest that MBP may potentiate antigen-presenting functions in immunized animals by providing intrinsic maturation stimuli to dendritic cells through TLR4. The aim of this study was to examine if an MBP-specific immune response can be elicited by oral administration of MBP. Therefore, in a first experiment the MBP specific immune response was analyzed after oral immunization with MBP or MBP+CT to piglets and both the systemic and mucosal immune responses were examined Although no high systemic response was observed in the MBP-group, a local mucosal IgM MBP-specific response in the jejunal Peyer's patches was observed. In the second experiment MBPFedF was orally administered to piglets. A significant systemic response against MBP and a weak response against FedF were found after oral administration of MBPFedF+CT. Also the presence of MBP-specific IgA ASC in the lamina propria indicates that a local intestinal immune response against MBP was induced. Our data suggests that MBP can cross the epithelial barrier reaching the gut-associated lymphoid tissue after oral administration to pigs, which implicates that MBP could act as a carrier and delivery system for fused proteins to target the vaccine antigens to intestinal immune cells.
Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
P
P
Bellot
P
P
Tiels
V
V
Melkebeek
B
B
Devriendt
B M
BM
Goddeeris
E
E
Cox
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D022361:Escherichia coli Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D058619:Maltose-Binding Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D022361:Escherichia coli Vaccines; C440653:FedF protein, E coli; D058619:Maltose-Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins