Recombinant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in a prime-boost strategy

Advances in the development of Salmonella-based vaccine strategies for protection against Salmonellosis in humans

Salmonella spp. are important human pathogens globally causing millions of cases of typhoid fever and non‐typhoidal salmonellosis annually. There are only a few vaccines licensed for use in humans which all target Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Vaccine development is hampered by antigenic diversity between the thousands of serovars capable of causing infection in humans. However, a number of attenuated candidate vaccine strains are currently being developed. As facultative intracellular pathogens with multiple systems for transporting effector proteins to host cells, attenuated Salmonella strains can also serve as ideal tools for the delivery of foreign antigens to create multivalent live carrier vaccines for simultaneous immunization against several unrelated pathogens. Further, the ease with which Salmonella can be genetically modified and the extensive knowledge of the virulence mechanisms of this pathogen means that this bacterium has often served as a model organism to test new approaches. In this review we focus on (1) recent advances in live attenuated Salmonella vaccine development, (2) improvements in expression of foreign antigens in carrier vaccines and (3) adaptation of attenuated strains as sources of purified antigens and vesicles that can be used for subunit and conjugate vaccines or together with attenuated vaccine strains in heterologous prime‐boosting immunization strategies. These advances have led to the development of new vaccines against Salmonella which have or will soon be tested in clinical trials.

Strategies for Enhancement of Live-Attenuated Salmonella-Based Carrier Vaccine Immunogenicity

The use of live-attenuated bacterial vaccines as carriers for the mucosal delivery of foreign antigens to stimulate the mucosal immune system was first proposed over three decades ago. This novel strategy aimed to induce immunity against at least two distinct pathogens using a single bivalent carrier vaccine. It was first tested using a live-attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain in clinical trials in 1984, with excellent humoral immune responses against the carrier strain but only modest responses elicited against the foreign antigen. Since then, clinical trials with additional Salmonella-based carrier vaccines have been conducted. As with the original trial, only modest foreign antigen-specific immunity was achieved in most cases, despite the incorporation of incremental improvements in antigen expression technologies and carrier design over the years. In this review, we will attempt to deconstruct carrier vaccine immunogenicity in humans by examining the basis of bacterial immunity in the human gastrointestinal tract and how the gut detects and responds to pathogens versus benign commensal organisms. Carrier vaccine design will then be explored to determine the feasibility of retaining as many characteristics of a pathogen as possible to elicit robust carrier and foreign antigen-specific immunity, while avoiding over-stimulation of unacceptably reactogenic inflammatory responses.

Differences in immune responses of pigs vaccinated with Salmonella Typhimurium and S. Choleraesuis strains and challenged with S. Choleraesuis

S. Choleraesuis (Choleraesuis) and S. Typhimurium (Typhimurium) cause salmonellosis in pigs and humans. The effects of vaccine strains pSV-less Typhimurium OU5048 and Choleraesuis OU7266 and SPI-2-mutant Choleraesuis SC2284 on the immune responses of pigs against Typhimurium, Choleraesuis, and S. Enteritidis (Enteritidis) with or without the virulence plasmid (pSV) were determined. After oral vaccination of three vaccine groups and challenge with Choleraesuis CN36, the level of Salmonella-specific IgG in sera and the bactericidal effects and superoxide generation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) against the above strains were determined using ELISA and NBT assay, respectively. Among three vaccine strains tested, OU7266 stimulated the highest Salmonella-specific IgG levels. Complement inactivation increased IgG concentration, while E. coli absorption reduced IgG levels. The pSV-containing strains were less resistant to serum killing than the pSV-less strains, and Enteritidis exhibited the lowest resistance to serum killing. Serovars tested, vaccine strains, and timeline periods postvaccination and challenge were important factors affecting superoxide production. The two Choleraesuis vaccine strains stimulated greater levels of superoxide from PMNs and PBMCs than the Typhimurium strains. The PMNs and PBMCs in challenged and vaccinated pigs reduced more superoxide than those in challenged hosts. In vaccinated hosts, pSV-less Salmonella strains triggered lower levels of PMN/PBMC-generated superoxide upon challenge than strains with pSV against Enteritidis and Choleraesuis. Overall, Choleraesuis OU7266 may be better than the other vaccine strains in generating the greatest IgG levels, serum bactericidal activity and superoxide levels. The pSV likely influences the immune responses.

The B subunits of cholera and Escherichia coli heat-labile toxins enhance the immune responses in mice orally immunised with a recombinant live P-fimbrial vaccine for avian pathogenic E. coli

This study aimed to investigate the adjuvant effect of recombinant attenuated Salmonella expressing cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) and Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) for the P-fimbriae subunit-based vaccine of avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) in a murine model. The PapA-specific sIgA and IgG responses were significantly enhanced after immunisation with the Salmonella-PapA vaccine in the presence of CTB or LTB. The group immunised with the Salmonella-LTB strain promoted Th1-type immunity, whereas that immunised with the Salmonella-CTB strain produced Th2-type immunity. We concluded that both Salmonella-CTB and -LTB strains can enhance the immune response to PapA, and that the LTB strain may be a more effective adjuvant for APEC vaccination, which requires higher Th1-type immunity for protection. Thus, our findings provide evidence that immunisation with an adjuvant, LTB, is one of the strategies of developing effective vaccines against P-fimbriated APEC.

Live-attenuatedSalmonellaas a prototype vaccine vector for passenger immunogens in humans: are we there yet?

It has been nearly 20 years since the first Phase I clinical trial of a live-attenuated bacterial vaccine was created by recombinant DNA methods, opening the door to the use of these organisms as mucosal delivery vehicles for passenger antigens. Over this time, a number of animal studies have indicated the feasibility of this approach. These include studies showing that bacteria can deliver antigens expressed by the bacterium itself and that bacteria can deliver DNA vaccines to be expressed in target eukaryotic cells. Concomitant studies have identified a number of attenuating mutations that render the bacterial vectors both safe and immunogenic in humans. Both avenues of research indicate the significant promise of this approach to mucosal vaccine development; however, this promise remains largely unrealized at the level of human clinical trials. This review sketches the history of this problem and points toward possible solutions using Salmonella vaccine vectors as the prototypes.

Evaluation of mucosal and systemic immune responses elicited by GPI-0100- adjuvanted influenza vaccine delivered by different immunization strategies

Vaccines for protection against respiratory infections should optimally induce a mucosal immune response in the respiratory tract in addition to a systemic immune response. However, current parenteral immunization modalities generally fail to induce mucosal immunity, while mucosal vaccine delivery often results in poor systemic immunity. In order to find an immunization strategy which satisfies the need for induction of both mucosal and systemic immunity, we compared local and systemic immune responses elicited by two mucosal immunizations, given either by the intranasal (IN) or the intrapulmonary (IPL) route, with responses elicited by a mucosal prime followed by a systemic boost immunization. The study was conducted in BALB/c mice and the vaccine formulation was an influenza subunit vaccine supplemented with GPI-0100, a saponin-derived adjuvant. While optimal mucosal antibody titers were obtained after two intrapulmonary vaccinations, optimal systemic antibody responses were achieved by intranasal prime followed by intramuscular boost. The latter strategy also resulted in the best T cell response, yet, it was ineffective in inducing nose or lung IgA. Successful induction of secretory IgA, IgG and T cell responses was only achieved with prime-boost strategies involving intrapulmonary immunization and was optimal when both immunizations were given via the intrapulmonary route. Our results underline that immunization via the lungs is particularly effective for priming as well as boosting of local and systemic immune responses.

Oral immunization with an attenuated Salmonella Gallinarum mutant as a fowl typhoid vaccine with a live adjuvant strain secreting the B subunit of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin

BACKGROUND

The Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) lon/cpxR deletion mutant JOL916 was developed as a live vaccine candidate for fowl typhoid (FT), and a SG mutant secreting an Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB), designated JOL1229, was recently constructed as an adjuvant strain for oral vaccination against FT. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective properties of the SG mutant JOL916 and the LTB adjuvant strain JOL1229 in order to establish a prime and boost immunization strategy for each strain. In addition, we compared the increase in body weight, the immunogenicity, the egg production rates, and the bacteriological egg contamination of these strains with those of SG 9R, a widely used commercial vaccine.

RESULTS

Plasma IgG, intestinal secretory IgA (sIgA), and cell-mediated responses were significantly induced after a boost inoculation with a mixture of JOL916 and JOL1229, and significant reductions in the mortality of chickens challenged with a wild-type SG strain were observed in the immunized groups. There were no significant differences in increases in body weight, cell-mediated immune responses, or systemic IgG responses between our vaccine mixture and the SG 9R vaccine groups. However, there was a significant elevation in intestinal sIgA in chickens immunized with our mixture at 3 weeks post-prime-immunization and at 3 weeks post-boost-immunization, while sIgA levels in SG 9R-immunized chickens were not significantly elevated compared to the control. In addition, the SG strain was not detected in the eggs of chickens immunized with our mixture.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that immunization with the LTB-adjuvant strain JOL1229 can significantly increase the immune response, and provide efficient protection against FT with no side effects on body weight, egg production, or egg contamination.

Immunology of gut mucosal vaccines

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the induction of immunity in the gastrointestinal mucosa following oral immunization and the cross-talk between mucosal and systemic immunity should expedite the development of vaccines to diminish the global burden caused by enteric pathogens. Identifying an immunological correlate of protection in the course of field trials of efficacy, animal models (when available), or human challenge studies is also invaluable. In industrialized country populations, live attenuated vaccines (e.g. polio, typhoid, and rotavirus) mimic natural infection and generate robust protective immune responses. In contrast, a major challenge is to understand and overcome the barriers responsible for the diminished immunogenicity and efficacy of the same enteric vaccines in underprivileged populations in developing countries. Success in developing vaccines against some enteric pathogens has heretofore been elusive (e.g. Shigella). Different types of oral vaccines can selectively or inclusively elicit mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A and serum immunoglobulin G antibodies and a variety of cell-mediated immune responses. Areas of research that require acceleration include interaction between the gut innate immune system and the stimulation of adaptive immunity, development of safe yet effective mucosal adjuvants, better understanding of homing to the mucosa of immunologically relevant cells, and elicitation of mucosal immunologic memory. This review dissects the immune responses elicited in humans by enteric vaccines.

Mucosal priming of newborn mice with S. Typhi Ty21a expressing anthrax protective antigen (PA) followed by parenteral PA-boost induces B and T cell-mediated immunity that protects against infection bypassing maternal antibodies

The currently licensed anthrax vaccine has several limitations and its efficacy has been proven only in adults. Effective immunization of newborns and infants requires adequate stimulation of their immune system, which is competent but not fully activated. We explored the use of the licensed live attenuated S. Typhi vaccine strain Ty21a expressing Bacillus anthracis protective antigen [Ty21a(PA)] followed PA-alum as a strategy for immunizing the pediatric population. Newborn mice primed with a single dose of Ty21a(PA) exhibited high frequencies of mucosal IgA-secreting B cells and IFN-gamma-secreting T cells during the neonatal period, none of which was detected in newborns immunized with a single dose of PA-alum. Priming with Ty21a(PA) followed by PA-boost resulted in high levels of PA-specific IgG, toxin neutralizing and opsonophagocytic antibodies and increased frequency of bone marrow IgG plasma cells and memory B cells compared with repeated immunization with PA-alum alone. Robust B and T cell responses developed even in the presence of maternal antibodies. The prime-boost protected against systemic and respiratory infection. Mucosal priming with a safe and effective S. Typhi-based anthrax vaccine followed by PA-boost could serve as a practical and effective prophylactic approach to prevent anthrax early in life.

Oral immunization with attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium encoding Cryptosporidium parvum Cp23 and Cp40 antigens induces a specific immune response in mice

Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine strain SL3261 was used as an antigen delivery system for the oral immunization of mice against two Cryptosporidium parvum antigens, Cp23 and Cp40. Each antigen was subcloned into the pTECH1 vector system, which allows them to be expressed as fusion proteins with highly immunogenic fragment C of tetanus toxin under the control of the anaerobically inducible nirB promoter. The recombinant vector was introduced into Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine strain SL3261, and the stable soluble expression of the chimeric protein was evaluated and confirmed by Western blotting with polyclonal C. parvum antisera. Mice were inoculated orally with a single dose of SL3261/pTECH-Cp23 or Cp40, respectively, and plasmid stability was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the Cp23 or Cp40 antigen were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay 35 days after immunization. Also, serum IgA and mucosal (feces) IgA antibodies were detected in 30% of the mice immunized with Cp23. In addition, prime-boosting with Cp23 and Cp40 DNA vaccine vectors followed by Salmonella immunization significantly increased antibody responses to both antigens. Our data show that a single oral inoculation with recombinant S. Typhimurium SL3261 can induce specific antibody responses to the Cp23 or Cp40 antigen from C. parvum in mice, suggesting that recombinant Salmonella is a feasible delivery system for a vaccine against C. parvum infection.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi live vector vaccines finally come of age

Attenuated Salmonella Typhi vaccine strains hold great promise as live vectors for presentation of foreign antigens from unrelated bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens to the immune system. Although this approach has proved quite successful in experimental animal models for eliciting antigen-specific mucosal, humoral and cellular responses, results have been disappointing for clinical trials carried out thus far. We hypothesize that the paucity of human responses to foreign antigens delivered by live vectors suggests that the strains and genetic approaches used to date have resulted in overattenuated vaccine strains with severely reduced immunogenicity. However, remarkable advances have now been made in the genetics of foreign antigen expression, understanding mechanisms of live vector immunity and refining immunization strategies. The time has now come for development of multivalent live vectors in which stable antigen expression and export is balanced with metabolic fitness to create highly immunogenic vaccines.

Mucosally delivered Salmonella typhi expressing the Yersinia pestis F1 antigen elicits mucosal and systemic immunity early in life and primes the neonatal immune system for a vigorous anamnestic response to parenteral F1 boost

Neonates respond poorly to conventional vaccines. This has been attributed, in part, to the immaturity of neonatal dendritic cells that lack full capacity for Ag presentation and T cell stimulation. We engineered an attenuated Salmonella Typhi strain to express and export the F1 Ag of Y. pestis (S. Typhi(F1)) and investigated its immunogenicity early in life using a heterologous prime-boost regimen. Newborn mice primed intranasally with a single dose of S. Typhi(F1) elicited mucosal Ab- and IFN-gamma-secreting cells 1 wk after immunization. They also developed a potent and fast anamnestic response to a subsequent parenteral boost with F1-alum, which surpassed those of mice primed and boosted with S. Typhi(F1) or F1-alum. Neonatal priming with S. Typhi(F1), as opposed to priming with F1-alum, resulted in a more balanced IgG2a/IgG1 profile, enhanced avidity maturation and stimulation of B memory cells, and strong Th1-type cell-mediated immunity. S. Typhi(F1) enhanced the activation and maturation of neonatal CD11c+ dendritic cells, shown by increased expression of CD80, CD86, CD40, and MHC-II cell surface markers and production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-12, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MCP-1. S. Typhi(F1)-stimulated neonatal DC had improved capacity for Ag presentation and T cell stimulation in vitro and induced F1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses when adoptively transferred to newborn mice. Mucosal immunization with S. Typhi expressing a foreign Ag effectively primes the neonatal immune system for potent, fast, and broader responses to a parenteral Ag boost. Such a strategy can prevent infectious diseases, including those considered biowarfare threats, early in life.

Towards a human oral vaccine for anthrax: the utility of a Salmonella Typhi Ty21a-based prime-boost immunization strategy

We previously demonstrated the ability of an orally administered attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain expressing the protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis to confer protection against lethal anthrax aerosol spore challenge [Stokes MG, Titball RW, Neeson BN, et al. Oral administration of a Salmonella enterica-based vaccine expressing Bacillus anthracis protective antigen confers protection against aerosolized B. anthracis. Infect Immun 2007;75(April (4)):1827-34]. To extend the utility of this approach to humans we constructed variants of S. enterica serovar Typhi Ty21a, an attenuated typhoid vaccine strain licensed for human use, which expressed and exported PA via two distinct plasmid-based transport systems: the Escherichia coli HlyA haemolysin and the S. Typhi ClyA export apparatus. Murine immunogenicity studies confirmed the ability of these constructs, especially Ty21a expressing the ClyA-PA fusion protein, to stimulate strong PA-specific immune responses following intranasal immunization. These responses were further enhanced by a subsequent boost with either parenterally delivered recombinant PA or the licensed US human alum-adsorbed anthrax vaccine (AVA). Anthrax toxin neutralizing antibody responses using this prime-boost regimen were rapid, vigorous and broad in nature. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of employing a mucosal prime with a licensed Salmonella Typhi vaccine strain followed by a parenteral protein boost to stimulate rapid protective immunity against anthrax.

Use of mchI encoding immunity to the antimicrobial peptide microcin H47 as a plasmid selection marker in attenuated bacterial live vectors

Live attenuated bacterial strains expressing heterologous antigens represent an attractive vaccine development strategy. However, the use of drug resistance genes for the selection of expression plasmids introduced into live vectors poses theoretical health risks. Therefore, we developed a novel approach for plasmid selection based on immunity to the antimicrobial peptide microcin H47 (MccH47). Two expression plasmids encoding the reporter green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) were constructed; selection markers comprised either mchI, conferring immunity to MccH47 (pGEN222I), or bla (encoding beta-lactamase), conferring conventional resistance to ampicillin (pGEN222). GFPuv-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses were analyzed in mice immunized intranasally either with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi CVD 908-htrA or Shigella flexneri 2a CVD 1208S live vector and were boosted parenterally with purified GFPuv. Similar IgG antibody responses were observed for both pGEN222 and pGEN222I when either CVD 1208S or CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222I) was used as the carrier. Interestingly, CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222I) elicited a significantly higher IgG response than CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222). We also compared the priming potential of homologous priming either with CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222I) or CVD 1208S(pGEN222I) to heterologous priming first with CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222I) and then with CVD 1208S(pGEN222I) and vice versa. Immunization with two unrelated live vectors significantly enhanced the IgG responses compared to responses engendered by homologous CVD 908-htrA(pGEN222I) but not to those of CVD 1208S(pGEN222I). MccH47 offers an alternate system for plasmid selection in bacterial live vectors that greatly improves their clinical acceptability. Furthermore, the success of the heterologous priming strategy supports the feasibility of the future development of multivalent live vector-based immunization strategies against multiple human pathogens.

Recombinant attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium expressing the carboxy-terminal domain of alpha toxin from Clostridium perfringens induces protective responses against necrotic enteritis in chickens

Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis (NE) is a widespread disease in chickens that causes high mortality and reduced growth performance. Traditionally, NE was controlled by the routine application of antimicrobials in the feed, a practice that currently is unpopular. Consequently, there has been an increase in the occurrence of NE, and it has become a threat to the current objective of antimicrobial-free farming. The pathogenesis of NE is associated with the proliferation of C. perfringens in the small intestine and the secretion of large amounts of alpha toxin, the major virulence factor. Since there is no vaccine for NE, we have developed a candidate live oral recombinant attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine (RASV) that delivers a nontoxic fragment of alpha toxin. The 3' end of the plc gene, encoding the C-terminal domain of alpha toxin (PlcC), was cloned into plasmids that enable the expression and secretion of PlcC fused to a signal peptide. Plasmids were inserted into Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium host strain chi8914, which has attenuating pabA and pabB deletion mutations. Three-day-old broiler chicks were orally immunized with 10(9) CFU of the vaccine strain and developed alpha toxin-neutralizing serum antibodies. When serum from these chickens was added into C. perfringens broth cultures, bacterial growth was suppressed. In addition, immunofluorescent microscopy showed that serum antibodies bind to the bacterial surface. The immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA titers in RASV-immunized chickens were low; however, when the chickens were given a parenteral boost injection with a purified recombinant PlcC protein (rPlcC), the RASV-immunized chickens mounted rapid high serum IgG and bile IgA titers exceeding those primed by rPlcC injection. RASV-immunized chickens had reduced intestinal mucosal pathology after challenge with virulent C. perfringens. These results indicate that oral RASV expressing an alpha toxin C-terminal peptide induces protective immunity against NE.

A case for immunization against nosocomial infections

Immunization is a highly effective public health measure that reduces the incidence of infectious diseases, yet there has been relatively little effort toward the development of vaccines for nosocomial infections. Many nosocomial infections originate on mucosal surfaces (e.g., respiratory or gastrointestinal mucosa). As patients who are hospitalized once are more likely to be hospitalized again, we propose a prime-boost immunization strategy, whereby a priming dose of vaccine for a nosocomial infection is administered mucosally. Upon readmission, a parenteral boost would elicit a rapid immune response locally and systemically. Such a strategy could reduce or ameliorate nosocomial infections and perhaps limit dissemination of nosocomial pathogens. Thus, a more aggressive effort to develop vaccines for nosocomial infections is warranted.

Enhanced immunity to Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) by using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi expressing PfCSP and a PfCSP-encoding DNA vaccine in a heterologous prime-boost strategy

Two Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strains that express and export a truncated version of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite surface protein (tCSP) fused to Salmonella serovar Typhi cytolysin A (ClyA) were constructed as a first step in the development of a preerythrocytic malaria vaccine. Synthetic codon-optimized genes (t-csp1 and t-csp2), containing immunodominant B- and T-cell epitopes present in native P. falciparum circumsporozoite surface protein (PfCSP), were fused in frame to the carboxyl terminus of the ClyA gene (clyA::t-csp) in genetically stabilized expression plasmids. Expression and export of ClyA-tCSP1 and ClyA-tCSP2 by Salmonella serovar Typhi vaccine strain CVD 908-htrA were demonstrated by immunoblotting of whole-cell lysates and culture supernatants. The immunogenicity of these constructs was evaluated using a "heterologous prime-boost" approach consisting of mucosal priming with Salmonella serovar Typhi expressing ClyA-tCSP1 and ClyA-tCSP2, followed by parenteral boosting with PfCSP DNA vaccines pVR2510 and pVR2571. Mice primed intranasally on days 0 and 28 with CVD 908-htrA(pSEC10tcsp2) and boosted intradermally on day 56 with PfCSP DNA vaccine pVR2571 induced high titers of serum NANP immunoglobulin G (IgG) (predominantly IgG2a); no serological responses to DNA vaccination were observed in the absence of Salmonella serovar Typhi-PfCSP priming. Mice primed with Salmonella serovar Typhi expressing tCSP2 and boosted with PfCSP DNA also developed high frequencies of gamma interferon-secreting cells, which surpassed those produced by PfCSP DNA in the absence of priming. A prime-boost regimen consisting of mucosal delivery of PfCSP exported from a Salmonella-based live-vector vaccine followed by a parenteral PfCSP DNA boosting is a promising strategy for the development of a live-vector-based malaria vaccine.

Oral vaccination with salmonella simultaneously expressing Yersinia pestis F1 and V antigens protects against bubonic and pneumonic plague

The gut provides a large area for immunization enabling the development of mucosal and systemic Ab responses. To test whether the protective Ags to Yersinia pestis can be orally delivered, the Y. pestis caf1 operon, encoding the F1-Ag and virulence Ag (V-Ag) were cloned into attenuated Salmonella vaccine vectors. F1-Ag expression was controlled under a promoter from the caf1 operon; two different promoters (P), PtetA in pV3, PphoP in pV4, as well as a chimera of the two in pV55 were tested. F1-Ag was amply expressed; the chimera in the pV55 showed the best V-Ag expression. Oral immunization with Salmonella-F1 elicited elevated secretory (S)-IgA and serum IgG titers, and Salmonella-V-Ag(pV55) elicited much greater S-IgA and serum IgG Ab titers than Salmonella-V-Ag(pV3) or Salmonella-V-Ag(pV4). Hence, a new Salmonella vaccine, Salmonella-(F1+V)Ags, made with a single plasmid containing the caf1 operon and the chimeric promoter for V-Ag allowed the simultaneous expression of F1 capsule and V-Ag. Salmonella-(F1+V)Ags elicited elevated Ab titers similar to their monotypic derivatives. For bubonic plague, mice dosed with Salmonella-(F1+V)Ags and Salmonella-F1-Ag showed similar efficacy (>83% survival) against approximately 1000 LD(50) Y. pestis. For pneumonic plague, immunized mice required immunity to both F1- and V-Ags because the mice vaccinated with Salmonella-(F1+V)Ags protected against 100 LD(50) Y. pestis. These results show that a single Salmonella vaccine can deliver both F1- and V-Ags to effect both systemic and mucosal immune protection against Y. pestis.

Mucosal immunity and optimizing protection with meningococcal serogroup B vaccines

Candidate Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B vaccines that are based on outer-membrane vesicles induce protective immunity in adults but provide neither crossprotection for infants nor long-lasting immunity. We suggest that this lack of vaccine efficacy is not solely because the best antigens are yet to be identified but also results from inappropriate programming of the immune response. Natural carriage of N. meningitidis and related bacteria leads to the development of protective immunity both at the mucosal surface and in the circulation. We propose that vaccine strategies that mimic this natural immunization process would better-optimize vaccine-induced protective immunity. Thus, mucosal immunization before a systemic booster vaccination could provide the solution and reduce the necessity for multiple injections to achieve immunity.

Enhanced breadth of CD4 T-cell immunity by DNA prime and adenovirus boost immunization to human immunodeficiency virus Env and Gag immunogens

A variety of gene-based vaccination approaches have been used to enhance the immune response to viral pathogens. Among them, the ability to perform heterologous immunization by priming with DNA and boosting with replication-defective adenoviral (ADV) vectors encoding foreign antigens has proven particularly effective in eliciting enhanced cellular and humoral immunity compared to either agent alone. Because adenoviral vector immunization alone can elicit substantial cellular and humoral immune responses in a shorter period of time, we asked whether the immune response induced by the prime-boost immunization was different from adenoviral vaccines with respect to the potency and breadth of T-cell recognition. While DNA/ADV immunization stimulated the CD8 response, it was directed to the same epitopes in Gag and Env immunogens of human immunodeficiency virus as DNA or ADV alone. In contrast, the CD4 response to these immunogens diversified after DNA/ADV immunization compared to each vector alone. These findings suggest that the diversity of the CD4 immune response is increased by DNA/ADV prime-boost vaccination and that these components work synergistically to enhance T-cell epitope recognition.