A parenteral DNA vaccine protects against pneumonic plague

Vaccine. 2010 Apr 19;28(18):3219-30. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.022. Epub 2010 Mar 1.

Abstract

The chemokine, lymphotactin (LTN), was tested as a molecular adjuvant using bicistronic DNA vaccines encoding the protective Yersinia capsular (F1) antigen and virulence antigen (V-Ag) as a F1-V fusion protein. The LTN-encoding F1-V or V-Ag vaccines were given by the intranasal (i.n.) or intramuscular (i.m.) routes, and although serum IgG and mucosal IgA antibodies (Abs) were induced, F1-Ag boosts were required for robust anti-F1-Ag Abs. Optimal efficacy against pneumonic plague was obtained in mice i.m.-, not i.n.-immunized with these DNA vaccines. These vaccines stimulated elevated Ag-specific Ab-forming cells and mixed Th cell responses, with Th17 cells markedly enhanced by i.m. immunization. These results show that LTN can be used as a molecular adjuvant to enhance protective immunity against plague.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / genetics
  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antigens, Bacterial / genetics
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
  • Female
  • Immunity, Mucosal
  • Immunization, Secondary / methods
  • Immunoglobulin A / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Lymphokines / administration & dosage
  • Lymphokines / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Plague / immunology
  • Plague / prevention & control*
  • Plague Vaccine / administration & dosage*
  • Plague Vaccine / genetics
  • Plague Vaccine / immunology*
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / genetics
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Sialoglycoproteins / administration & dosage
  • Sialoglycoproteins / genetics
  • Survival Analysis
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage*
  • Vaccines, DNA / genetics
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology*
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / genetics
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • LcrV protein, Yersinia
  • Lymphokines
  • Plague Vaccine
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Sialoglycoproteins
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • caf1 protein, Yersinia pestis
  • lymphotactin