title: DNA prime-protein boost based vaccination with a conserved region of leptospiral immunoglobulin-like A and B proteins enhances protection against leptospirosis.
abstract: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the Leptospira genus. Vaccination with bacterins has severe limitations. Here, we evaluated the N-terminal region of the leptospiral immunoglobulin-like B protein (LigBrep) as a vaccine candidate against leptospirosis using immunisation strategies based on DNA prime-protein boost, DNA vaccine, and subunit vaccine. Upon challenge with a virulent strain ofLeptospira interrogans, the prime-boost and DNA vaccine approaches induced significant protection in hamsters, as well as a specific IgG antibody response and sterilising immunity. Although vaccination with recombinant fragment of LigBrep also produced a strong antibody response, it was not immunoprotective. These results highlight the potential of LigBrep as a candidate antigen for an effective vaccine against leptospirosis and emphasise the use of the DNA prime-protein boost as an important strategy for vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Karine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daiane D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Thaís L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Kátia L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bacelo
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marta G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Odir A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Dellagostin
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D001706:Biopsy; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D006224:Cricetinae; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C038767:immunoglobulin B