title: Enhanced humoral response to influenza vaccine in aged mice with a novel adjuvant, rOv-ASP-1.
abstract: Immunization is the best way to prevent seasonal epidemics and pandemics of influenza. There are two kinds of influenza vaccines available in the United States: an inactivated vaccine (TIV) and an attenuated vaccine; however, only TIV is approved for immunization of the elderly population. While the aged population has the highest rate of influenza vaccination, the protective efficacy is low as evidenced by elderly individuals having the highest mortality associated with influenza. Recently, we reported that an adjuvant derived from the helminth parasite Onchocerca volvulus, named O. volvulus activation-associated secreted protein-1 (Ov-ASP-1), can significantly enhance the protective efficacy of an inactivated vaccine (TIV) in young adult mice. In the current study, we examined whether this recombinant Ov-ASP-1 (rOv-ASP-1) can enhance the efficacy of TIV in aged mice as well. While primary immunization with TIV alone produced only a low level of influenza-specific antibodies (total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2c) in aged mice, the antibody levels were significantly increased after immunization with TIV+rOv-ASP-1. More importantly, the level of the total IgG in aged mice administered TIV+rOv-ASP-1 was comparable to that of young adult mice immunized with TIV alone. Co-administration of rOv-ASP-1 induced a low level of cross-reactive antibody and enhanced the protective efficacy of TIV in aged mice, reflected by significantly increased survival after challenge with a heterologous influenza virus. rOv-ASP-1 was also superior to the conventional adjuvant alum in inducing specific IgG after TIV immunization in aged mice, and in conferring protection after challenge. These results demonstrate that rOv-ASP-1 may serve as a potential adjuvant for influenza vaccine to improve the efficacy of protection in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; DMX Inc., West Chester, PA 19382, USA. Electronic address: jiu.jiang@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Jiu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Concannon
authors.affiliation: Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lustigman
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: donna.murasko@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Murasko
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000375:Aging; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056738:Cross Protection; D003429:Cross Reactions; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; C414408:Ov-ASP-1 protein, Onchocerca volvulus; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C041524:aluminum sulfate
keywords: Adjuvant; Aged; Influenza; Vaccine; Virus