title: Transcutaneous immunization with phosphorylcholine induces antigen-specific mucosal and systemic immune responses in BALB/c mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcutaneous immunization (TCI) is a novel route of vaccination through application of a topical vaccine antigen on the skin. Phosphorylcholine (PC) is a structural component of a variety of pathogens and anti-PC immune responses protect mice against invasive bacterial diseases. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of TCI using PC in BALB/c mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  TCI was performed in BALB/c mice using PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) plus cholera toxin (CT). Immunogenicity was evaluated by measuring PC-specific IgG and specific IgG1, IgG2a, IgM, IgA, and secretory IgA antibodies by ELISA. The concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and IFN-γ were also measured using ELISA for mouse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six months after immunization, IgG after TCI using PC plus CT was significantly higher than in controls, but this was not found for IgA. In saliva, secretory IgA antibodies decreased with a peak level at 2-3 months. IgG1 was significantly higher than IgG2 after TCI. Production of IL-4 from CD4(+) cells was significantly higher after TCI than in controls, whereas production of IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-12 and IL-13 was not detected in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that TCI using PC plus CT with BALB/c mice is a simple approach for induction of systemic and mucosal immune responses that are shifted in the Th-2 direction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan. Electronic address: nagano@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurono
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin
keywords: Phosphorylcholine; Saliva; Secretory IgA; Transcutaneous immunization