title: Improved immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a divalent DNA vaccine encoding Brucella L7/L12-truncated Omp31 fusion protein by a DNA priming and protein boosting regimen.
abstract: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases caused by species of Brucella. At present, there is no commercially available vaccine for the human brucellosis. Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus are the main causes of human brucellosis, worldwide. The outer membrane protein 31 (Omp31) and L7/L12 are immunodominant and protective antigens conserved among human Brucella pathogens. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate and compare the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the L7/L12-TOmp31 construct administered as DNA/DNA and DNA/Pro vaccine regimens. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with the DNA/Pro regimen provided more protection levels against B. melitenisis and B. abortus challenge than did the DNA/DNA regimen. IgG1 and IgG2a titers were higher in the sera from DNA/Pro-immunized mice than in those from mice immunized with DNA alone. Moreover, splenocytes from DNA/Pro-immunized mice produced significantly higher levels of IFN-γ than did those from mice given DNA alone. The pcDNA-L7/L12-TOmp31 priming followed by rL7/L12-TOmp31 boosting led to improved protection against B. abortus or B. melitensis infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golshani
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Immunology and Vaccine Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: s_rafati@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafati
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Davar
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Siadat
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacterial Vaccine and Antigen Production, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nejati-Moheimani
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shahcheraghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Street, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: saeidbouzari@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouzari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002004:Brucella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000187:drug effects; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002004:Brucella Vaccine; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C101108:Omp31 protein, Brucella melitensis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C016700:ribosomal protein L7-L12; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Brucella; DNA vaccine; Electroporation; Footpad route; Prime-boost strategy