Immune response to porin in cattle immunized with whole cell, outer membrane, and outer membrane protein antigens of Brucella abortus combined with trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide adjuvants

Quantitation of monoclonal antibody by capture ELISA based on initial enzyme activity rate

We developed a noncompetitive two-site sandwich ELISA to quantitate monoclonal antibodies in culture supernatant. This assay measures the initial enzyme activity rate during the first minute of the reaction, which ensures linear velocity relative to time and a progress curve slope proportional to analyte concentration. During this period, the enzyme substrate is in large excess relative to the analyte/antibody-enzyme complex, and enzyme catalysis proceeds in steady-state conditions. Analyses of repeatability gave coefficients of variation between 4.4 and 9.7 (interassay) and 4.4 and 6.4 (intra-assay), and analyte detectability ranged from 5.8 to 12 ng/ml. The Z-factor calculated for analyte samples at their end dilution yielded mean values from 0.57 to 0.87, which confirmed assay robustness. This initial velocity-based sandwich ELISA is a simple, sensitive, reproducible method to quantitate bi-epitopic antigens.

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Antibody quantitation by measuring initial velocity of enzyme product formation

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Initial rate measurements ensure ELISA velocity proportional to analyte concentration.

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A mAb isotype-matched standard curve could reduce antiglobulin heterogenous reactivity.

Characterization of OmpK, GAPDH and their fusion OmpK-GAPDH derived from Vibrio harveyi outer membrane proteins: their immunoprotective ability against vibriosis in large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea)

AIM

To investigate the immunoprotection of three recombinant proteins derived from the Vibrio harveyi outer membrane proteins (OMPs) OmpK, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and their fusion OmpK-GAPDH as vaccine candidates from vibriosis of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea).

METHODS

The ompK gene, of which the leader sequence was omitted, was fused with the gapdh gene. Three recombinant proteins r-OmpK, r-GAPDH and r-OmpK-GAPDH were expressed and purified. Western blots were carried out to detect the specificity of the antibodies raised against the recombinant proteins; Fish were immunized with recombinant proteins and challenged by native V. harveyi. The immunoresponse to the recombinant proteins were determined by ELISA and phagocytic activity assay.

CONCLUSIONS

The fusion protein r-OmpK-GAPDH can afford greater protection against the wild V. harveyi than r-OmpK or r-GAPDH alone or their mixture in humoral and cellular immunity, indicating that OmpK and GAPDH could produce a synergistic immunoprotection against vibriosis of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) when fused into OmpK-GAPDH with a linker.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

It has been realized that a multi-component OMP antigen can induce a higher frequency of immune effectors than a single OMP. The results presented here bring forth a good suggestion for the subunit vaccine design based on the OMPs of gram-negative pathogens.

Cloning and expression of Vibrio harveyi OmpK* and GAPDH* genes and their potential application as vaccines in large yellow croakers Pseudosciaena crocea

Vibrio harveyi is a causative agent of vibriosis in the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea and causes severe losses to the aquaculture industry in China. The vaccines based on the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of the pathogens are considered to be the optimum intervention for this disease. In this study, two V. harveyi OMP genes, OmpK* and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH*), were cloned, sequenced, and characterized. The recombinant proteins (r-OmpK and r-GAPDH) were expressed by the prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a(+) and purified with nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography. Western blots showed that rabbit antisera against purified r-OmpK and r-GAPDH specifically reacted with the native OMP of V. harveyi. Large yellow croakers were immunized with r-OmpK and r-GAPDH. Specific antibody titer assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and phagocytosis assays demonstrated that specific and innate immunity was stimulated in response to the OMPs of V. harveyi. Challenge results indicated that vaccination of large yellow croakers with r-OmpK and r-GAPDH increased relative survival (37.7% and 40.0%, respectively) against wild V. harveyi.

Recombinant bovine interleukin 2 enhances immunity and protection induced by Brucella abortus vaccines in cattle

Augmentation of immunization of cattle Brucella abortus S19 or a B. abortus soluble protein extract (SPEBA) vaccine through administration of recombinant bovine IL 2 (rBoIL 2) was evaluated. Seventy-five heifers were divided among 6 groups that were treated with the following: Group 1, no treatment; Group 2, rBoIL 2 (1microg/kg) on day 0; Group 3, SPEBA (2 mg) on day 0 and week 9; Group 4, SPEBA + rBoIL 2 on day 0, SPEBA on week 9; Group 5, S19 (10(7) CFU) on day 0 and week 9; Group 6, S19 + rBoIL 2 on day 0, S19 only on week 9. Approximately, 6 months after vaccination, cattle were bred by natural service, and at mid-gestation pregnant cattle were challenged intraconjunctivally with 9.1 x 10(5) CFU of virulent B. abortus S2308. Pre- and post-challenge antibody responses were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a particle concentration fluorescence assay, and the card test. Lymphoproliferation (LP) responses to gamma-irradiated B. abortus and SPEBA antigens were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. After vaccination, antibody responses to B. abortus elevated rapidly in SPEBA- and S19-vaccinates with and without rBoIL 2, however, these responses were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in vaccinates which also received rBoIL 2. Antibody levels for all vaccinated groups had returned to those of negative control groups by the challenge date with the exception of the SPEBA/rBoIL 2 group. In general, LP responses were higher in vaccinated or rBoIL 2-treated cattle than for unvaccinated controls. Challenge of 48 pregnant heifers resulted in abortions in 4/9 of Group 1, 0/9 of Group 2, 4/8 of Group 3, 2/9 of Group 4, 1/7 of Group 5, and 0/6 of Group 6 cattle. Treatment with rBoIL 2 alone (Group 2) provided significant (P < 0.05) protection from infection, abortions and induction of sero-positive status compared to untreated (Group 1) cattle. Co-administration of rBoIL 2 with S19 resulted in significant (P < 0.05) augmentation in onset, duration and magnitude of LP responses to B. abortus antigens following challenge. Characterization of the cytokine response of bovine monocyte-derived macrophages by real-time polymerase chain reaction indicated that in vitro stimulation of these cells with rBoIL 2 resulted in a profound up-regulation of genes encoding tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL 12p40, and interferon-gamma reflecting activation of the cells. Overall, rBoIL 2-treatment was associated with fewer infections, sero-conversions and a significant (P = 0.02) level of protection against abortion as compared to vaccination alone or no treatment.

Brucellosis vaccines: past, present and future

The first effective Brucella vaccine was based on live Brucella abortus strain 19, a laboratory-derived strain attenuated by an unknown process during subculture. This induces reasonable protection against B. abortus, but at the expense of persistent serological responses. A similar problem occurs with the B. melitensis Rev.1 strain that is still the most effective vaccine against caprine and ovine brucellosis. Vaccines based on killed cells of virulent strains administered with adjuvant induced significant protection but also unacceptable levels of antibodies interfering with diagnostic tests. Attempts were made to circumvent this problem by using a live rough strain B. abortus 45/20, but this reverted to virulence in vivo. Use of killed cells of this strain in adjuvant met with moderate success but batch to batch variation in reactogenicity and agglutinogenicity limited application. This problem has been overcome by the development of the rifampicin-resistant mutant B. abortus RB51 strain. This strain has proved safe and effective in the field against bovine brucellosis and exhibits negligible interference with diagnostic serology. Attempts are being made to develop defined rough mutant vaccine strains that would be more effective against B. melitensis and B. suis. Various studies have examined cell-free native and recombinant proteins as candidate protective antigens, with or without adjuvants. Limited success has been obtained with these or with DNA vaccines encoding known protective antigens in experimental models and further work is indicated.

Cloning of a Brucella melitensis group 3 antigen gene encoding Omp28, a protein recognized by the humoral immune response during human brucellosis

Brucella group 3 antigens (Ags) are outer membrane proteins (OMPs) with a molecular mass ranging from 25 to 30 kDa. The OMPs are of interest partially because of their potential use as vaccine and diagnostic reagents. We used human convalescent antibody (Ab) to clone a gene that encoded a 28-kDa protein from a lambdagt11 library of Brucella melitensis 16M genomic DNA. DNA sequence analysis revealed a single open reading frame that would encode a protein of 26,552 Da. The 28-kDa protein had a primary amino acid sequence that was 43% similar to a previously described Brucella abortus group 3 Ag, Omp25 (P. de Wergifosse, P. Lintermans, J. N. Limet, and A. Cloeckaert, J. Bacteriol. 177:1911-1914, 1995). The similarity to a known group 3 OMP, immunoreactivity with Ab prepared against B. abortus group Ags, immunolabeling of whole cells, and Southern hybridization led to our conclusion that the B. melitensis 28-kDa protein was a group 3 protein distinct from B. abortus Omp25. We designated the B. melitensis protein Omp28. Human convalescent sera from patients infected with B. abortus and Brucella suis as well as rabbit antisera prepared against killed B. abortus whole cells recognized B. melitensis Omp28 on Western blots (immunoblots). Furthermore, mice and goats infected with smooth strains of B. melitensis produced Abs against Omp28. Our results may begin to explain the variability in molecular weight seen in Brucella group Ags and point toward their possible use in vaccination against infection as well as diagnosis of the disease.

In vitro and in vivo phenotypes resulting from deletion of the high temperature requirement A (htrA) gene from the bovine vaccine strain Brucella abortus S19

An htrA deletion mutant was created in the bovine vaccine strain, B. abortus S19, by replacing the majority of the htrA gene with a kanamycin resistance gene. Antibiotic selection for a double crossover event yielded kanamycin-resistant, ampicillin-sensitive colonies confirmed by Southern and western blot analysis to be HtrA deficient. The B. abortus S19 htrA mutant was significantly more susceptible than the parental strain to killing by H2O2 (P < 0.001) and O(2)- generated by the redox cycling agent paraquat (P < 0.05) in disk sensitivity assays. Deletion of the htrA gene from S19 produced a bimodal effect on the spleen colonization profile of this strain in BALB/c mice. At one week post-infection, the B. abortus S19 htrA mutant colonized the spleens of experimentally infected BALB/c mice at significantly lower levels (P < 0.01) than the parental strain. Enhanced clearance (P < 0.05) was also observed at later timepoints, i.e. 4 and 7 weeks post infection, however at 2 and 3 weeks post infection, the mutant and parental strains colonized the mice at equivalent levels. The temporal development of specific delayed type hypersensitivity and antibody responses in BALB/c mice infected with the mutant or parental strain were equivalent. These results suggest that the htrA gene product contributes to successful host colonization by S19. However, deletion of this gene does not radically alter the overall, characteristic spleen colonization profile of this vaccine strain in the BALB/c mouse model, nor compromise the capacity of this strain to elicit Brucella cellular or humoral immune responses in this experimental host.

Protection of ruminants by Pasteurella haemolytica A1 capsular polysaccharide vaccines containing muramyl dipeptide analogs

The capsular polysaccharide (CP) of Pasteurella haemolytica serotype A1 is a poor immunogen for the prevention of pneumonic pasteurellosis of ruminants. To improve CP immunogenicity, vaccines were prepared with 1.0 mg CP dose-1 with and without the synthetic adjuvant, muramyl dipeptide (MDP; range 0.2-1.0 mg) or a lipophilic derivative, MDP-sn-glyceryl-dipalmitoyl (MDP-GDP; range 0.1-1.0 mg). The optimum effective concentration of adjuvant was first determined in lambs and calves and then the efficacy of CP +0.5 mg MDP and CP +1.0 mg MDP-GDP was compared with that of two commercial vaccines in calves. After immunization with CP, antibody titers in lambs and calves were typical of that seen with polysaccharide immunogens and characterized by an early IgM response followed by later IgG1 and IgG2 responses. CP + MDP or MDP-GDP vaccines induced significantly higher IgM, IgG1, and IgG2 titers. After transtracheal challenge of immunity with P. haemolytica serotype A1, extensive pulmonary consolidation containing P. haemolytica (10(6)-10(8) c.f.u. g-1) was seen in all lambs and calves vaccinated with CP alone and was not significantly different (P < 0.05) from the consolidation and concentrations of organisms in nonvaccinated challenge controls. In lambs, vaccines containing 1.0 mg CP +0.05 mg MDP or MDP-GDP significantly reduced pulmonary consolidation and concentrations of P. haemolytica in lung lesions. In calves, vaccines containing 0.2 mg MDP, 0.5 mg MDP, or 1.0 mg MDP-GDP also significantly reduced pulmonary consolidation and concentrations of P. haemolytica in lung lesions. Vaccines containing CP +0.5 mg MDP and CP +1.0 mg MDP-GDP induced high titer bactericidal antibodies by 7 days and were more efficacious than two commercial vaccines. Potentiation of CP with MDP or MDP-GDP has great promise in furthering the potential of CP as a vaccine immunogen for the prevention of pneumonic pasteurellosis.

Increased CD4+ T cell-dependent anti-erythrocyte antibody levels following the onset of parasite egg production in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice

Anaemia has been reported to be a symptom of schistosomiasis mansoni. In other chronic infectious diseases, anti-red blood cell (RBC) antibodies have been suggested or shown to play a role in anaemia by participating in either complement or macrophage-dependent RBC elimination. To examine whether such a situation could be contributing to the anaemia of schistosomiasis, we examined RBC taken from infected mice for surface-bound antibodies. Our data show that prior to the onset of egg production infected mice have plasma haemoglobin levels that are indistinguishable from age matched controls (AMC). However, consistent with previous reports, following the initiation of egg laying, infected mice have significantly lower haemoglobin levels than AMC. Surface-bound IgM, IgG1 and IgG3 on RBC from infected mice increased markedly after egg laying began. Levels of RBC-associated IgG2b were similar on RBC from infected and normal mice. Antibody production against RBC was Th cell-dependent since it did not occur in mice depleted of CD4+ cells. Antibodies eluted from RBC of infected mice bound to isolated membranes of RBC from AMC and to a soluble extract of schistosome eggs. Furthermore, antibodies in serum from mice carrying patent infections bound to the membranes of RBC from normal mice. Taken together, these data suggest that schistosome eggs induce an antibody response which may cross react with a RBC surface antigen.

Modulation of immune responses in Balb/c mice vaccinated with Brucella abortus Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase synthetic peptide vaccine

Three peptides, peptide 1 (GGDNYSDKPEPLGG), peptide 2 (LAEIKQRSLMVHGG) and peptide 3 (GGAPGEKDGKIVPAG), were synthesized based on the amino acid sequence of Brucella abortus Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase. These peptides were selected on the basis of their predicted hydrophilicity, flexibility and antigenicity profiles. The three peptides, singly or in combination, with or without the adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A were administered to Balb/c mice as vaccines for brucellosis. The protective and immune responses induced by the peptide vaccines after challenge exposure to virulent B. abortus strain 2308 were compared to those obtained with salt-extractable proteins (BCSP) vaccine prepared from B. abortus strain 19, recombinant B. abortus Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (rSOD) vaccine and non-vaccinated mice. Mice vaccinated with 30 micrograms of peptide 3 plus 50 micrograms monophosphoryl lipid A afforded two logs of protection (reduction in log10 colony-forming units compared with control mice) and one log of protection when given without monophosphoryl lipid A, whereas 5 micrograms of the salt-extractable proteins afforded three logs of protection. The rSOD and peptides 1 and 2 given with or without monophosphoryl lipid A afforded no protection. Superoxide dismutase-specific IgG antibody was present in postchallenge sera only if BCSP was present in the vaccine. Peptide-specific IgG antibodies were present in postchallenge sera of mice, and antibody concentrations were generally enhanced when monophosphoryl lipid A was included in the vaccine. The overall results with the peptide vaccines suggest that peptide 3 probably contains a specific sequence preferentially recognized by the cellular immune system leading to modulation of immune response mechanisms responsible for decreasing splenic infection.

Liposome potentiation of humoral immune response to lipopolysaccharide and O-polysaccharide antigens of Brucella abortus

Liposomes were evaluated for their effectiveness as vaccine carriers in the potentiation of the mouse humoral response to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and O-polysaccharide (OPS) antigens of Brucella abortus. LPS and OPS were extracted from a pathogenic strain of B. abortus and were encapsulated within multilamellar vesicles. Groups of mice, immunized with liposome-encapsulated and free LPS or OPS, were bled weekly and the specific IgM and IgG levels in the sera were determined by an indirect fluorogenic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Humoral response to these antigens were found to be dose-dependent. Mice immunized with LPS and OPS encapsulated within liposomes were found to have significantly higher IgG levels than mice immunized with free LPS and OPS. In addition, the antibody levels in mice that were immunized with liposome-encapsulated LPS and OPS were more sustained and remained at elevated levels--even after 5 weeks post immunization. As expected, OPS was found to be less immunogenic than LPS, but multiple injections of OPS encapsulated within liposomes greatly improved the immunogenicity. These results indicate that the humoral response to LPS and OPS of B. abortus can be enhanced when these antigens are encapsulated within liposomes.

Antigens of Brucella abortus S19 immunodominant for bovine lymphocytes as identified by one- and two-dimensional cellular immunoblotting

Cellular immune responses are influential for protection against intracellular bacteria such as brucellae. Therefore, identification of Brucella abortus antigens that activate primed bovine lymphocytes is fundamental for discerning the breadth of cellular response in bovine brucellosis. Potentially antigenic components of B. abortus S19 were isolated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by nitrocellulose blotting. Specific one-dimensional blot segments induced proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from all 25 of the vaccinated cattle tested and were defined as immunodominant. Individual proteins that stimulated lymphocyte proliferation were further characterized by two-dimensional cellular immunoblotting by two different approaches. Individual one-dimensional stimulatory blot segments were eluted, concentrated, and then subjected to two-dimensional cellular immunoblotting. Alternatively, entire two-dimensional gels containing all of the B. abortus components were blotted and nitrocellulose sections containing individual proteins were assayed for lymphocyte activation. Thirty-eight Brucella proteins that induced lymphocyte proliferation were resolved by both procedures. Phenotypic analysis of the proliferating cell population demonstrated the presence of CD4+, CD8+, and immunoglobulin M+ lymphocytes. Two immunogenic proteins, 12 and 31 kDa, identified by two-dimensional cellular immunoblotting, were subjected to partial N-terminal amino acid analysis. The 12-kDa protein was within the area of greatest lymphocyte proliferation, while the 31-kDa protein was chosen for comparison with a 31-kDa protein previously reported by others. A search of the National Biomedical Research Foundation protein data bank showed that the sequences were not homologous with other known proteins. Identification of Brucella proteins immunogenic for bovine lymphocytes provides an important step in distinguishing the various proteins involved in pathogenicity and/or disease resistance.

Immunopotentiation of cattle vaccinated with a soluble Brucella abortus antigen with low LPS content: an analysis of cellular and humoral immune responses

The adjuvant effects of dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) alone or in combination with trehalose dimycolate (TDM) or muramyl dipeptide (MDP) on bovine humoral and cellular responses to a soluble protein extract of gamma irradiated Brucella abortus strain 19 (SPEBA) were investigated. Thirty-five beef steers were randomly allotted to nine groups. Three of these groups received SPEBA (2 mg protein per dose) subcutaneously in combination with adjuvants, one group received the reduced dose of B. abortus strain 19 (S19), and one group received SPEBA alone. Controls included groups receiving adjuvant preparations only or no vaccine. Immune responses to the various immunizations were assessed sequentially for 56 days using various in vitro and in vivo assays. The humoral response to B. abortus was measured using standard serologic tests, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and a quantitative fluorometric immunoassay. The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response was measured by antigen-specific lymphoproliferation (LP), interleukin 2 (IL 2) production, and soluble suppressor factor release. Skin testing at day 35 for delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to SPEBA was also performed. Minimal humoral responses were induced with SPEBA alone. The highest and most sustained serum antibody responses to B. abortus antigens were elicited by the S19 vaccine. A combination of SPEBA with DDA + TDM induced higher antibody levels than SPEBA with DDA or SPEBA with DDA + MDP. Responses to DTH among the groups receiving SPEBA were most notable in the SPEBA with DDA + TDM groups. Increased IL 2 production was greatest in the S19 and SPEBA with DDA + TDM vaccinates. The results indicated that a combination of DDA + TDM best potentiated immune responses to a soluble B. abortus antigen preparation and may be useful as adjuvants for future vaccines.

Immunogenicity of subcellular fractions of Brucella abortus: measurement by in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses

Five groups of heifers were immunized with various subcellular fractions of Brucella abortus and tested for their responsiveness in lymphocyte proliferative responses in vitro. The five subcellular fractions used as immunogens were: (1) a mixture of recombinant outer membrane proteins fused to Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase, (2) a mixture of outer membrane proteins BaomI, BaomIIB1, and BaomIII1, (3) a mixture of outer membrane proteins 7.5 kDa and 8.8 kDa, (4) a complex of smooth lipopolysaccharide and proteins, and (5) a complex of outer membranes and peptidoglycan (OM-PG complex) from a rough strain. All immunogens were emulsified in adjuvant and administered twice at a 61-day interval. Two other groups of cows were included; one immunized with strain 19 and the other with adjuvant only. Strain 19 and the rough OM-PG complex induced responsiveness in lymphocyte proliferation assays in a high percentage of immunized cows. The smooth lipopolysaccharide-protein complex induced responsiveness in fewer cows. The lowest frequencies of responding cows were found in groups that received either recombinant proteins or purified protein mixtures. Based on these results, we concluded: (1) cellular immunity, as measured by in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses, can be induced with subcellular fractions of B. abortus and (2) the more complex the immunogen, the greater the frequency of responding cows.

Killing of Brucella abortus by bovine serum

Studies of the serum bactericidal system in bovine brucellosis were undertaken to investigate the role of the humoral immune response in protection of cattle against the facultative intracellular parasite Brucella abortus. Fresh sera from normal control cattle, infected cattle, and cattle immunized with B. abortus cell envelopes were collected before treatment and during the course of immunization or infection. Normal fresh bovine serum or fresh agammaglobulinemic serum from colostrum-deprived calves was effective in killing smooth virulent B. abortus 2308, but rough strains RB51 (a rough mutant of strain 2308) and 45/20 were much more sensitive to serum. The difference in susceptibility to serum was shown to be correlated with differences in lipopolysaccharide chemotype, with the more resistant strain 2308 having O polysaccharide and the more susceptible strains 45/20 and RB51 lacking O side chains. By treatment of fresh serum with MgCl2 and EGTA [ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid] killing was shown to occur via the classical pathway of complement activation. When antibody to B. abortus was present, killing of strain RB51 increased but killing of smooth strain 2308 decreased. The earliest antibody response in serum from infected animals did not interfere with killing. When affinity-purified bovine immunoglobulins specific for B. abortus smooth lipopolysaccharide were added to fresh normal bovine serum, immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2 isotypes blocked killing but IgM and IgA isotypes did not. Thus, it appears that serum from previously unexposed animals or animals early during infection can kill smooth B. abortus, an appropriate defense mechanism before the organism becomes intracellular. At later stages of infection, blocking antibodies predominate.

Effectiveness of natural and synthetic complexes of porin and O polysaccharide as vaccines against Brucella abortus in mice

A single vaccination of mice with a complex of porin and smooth lipopolysaccharide (porin-S-LPS) extracted from virulent Brucella abortus 2308 provided significant protection (P less than 0.01 to P less than 0.001) against challenge with the same strain, equivalent to that achieved by vaccination with living attenuated B. abortus 19. The porin-S-LPS vaccine given without adjuvant or in several adjuvants (trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide; the pluronic polymer L-121 and muramyl dipeptide; or complexed with Quil A in immunostimulating complexes) provided equivalent protection. In contrast, one vaccination with porin complexed with rough LPS (porin-R-LPS) from a rough mutant of strain 2308 provided no protection with any adjuvant tested. In one experiment, two inoculations with the porin-R-LPS resulted in a low level of protection, probably owing to priming of the animals for production of O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies. However, one vaccination with rough-strain porin covalently bound to purified O polysaccharide conferred protection equal to that obtained with natural complexes of porin-S-LPS or with living strain 19. A synthetic vaccine containing long chains of O polysaccharide was more effective than one prepared with short chains. Protective vaccines caused the formation of increased concentrations of circulating O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies, although there were individual exceptions to the quantitative association between O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies and protection. Antibodies specific for porin or R-LPS were found in negligible quantities in vaccinated mice. These results provide additional evidence that the O polysaccharide will constitute an essential component of an effective subcellular vaccine against B. abortus and that O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies play an important role in protective immunity in brucellosis.

Determination of bovine lymphocyte responses to extracted proteins of Brucella abortus by using protein immunoblotting

Isolation and identification of Brucella antigenic determinants important to cellular responses have been difficult. In this study, bovine peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells from cattle vaccinated with Brucella abortus 19 proliferated to extracted bacterial proteins blotted onto nitrocellulose. Proteins were extracted from gamma-irradiated B. abortus 19 with a sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction buffer. The extracted proteins were separated electrophoretically by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis prior to electroblotting onto nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose sections corresponding to individual lanes of the gel (containing all separated proteins) were then cultured with the PBM cells. Primary and secondary stimulation responses of the PBM cells with the whole protein blots were similar kinetically to the responses of the PBM cells stimulated with whole irradiated B. abortus 19 or with whole irradiated B. abortus 19 blotted onto nitrocellulose. Although lipopolysaccharide was determined to be associated with the extracted proteins and transferred onto the blots, the lipopolysaccharide did not stimulate cellular proliferation, as indicated by the antigen-specific secondary responses. Stimulating PBM cells with portions of the blot containing high (greater than 45,000)-, medium (25,000 to 45,000)- or low (25,000)-molecular-weight proteins demonstrated that the responding cells were specific only to the proteins of corresponding molecular weights. These results indicate that cellular responses to individual proteins can be studied without cloning the bacterial genes or purifying the individual proteins.

Comparative immune responses to native cell envelope antigens and the hot sodium dodecyl sulfate insoluble fraction (PG) of Brucella abortus in cattle and mice

Brucella abortus vaccines composed of native cell envelopes or outer membrane proteins of smooth strain 2308 were compared with a vaccine (PG) composed of the insoluble residue of strain 2308 cell envelopes which had been extracted with hot sodium dodecyl sulfate. Vaccines were given by injection in an oil base adjuvant containing trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide or without adjuvant. Mice vaccinated with 30 micrograms native cell envelopes or PG and challenged 4 weeks later with virulent B. abortus strain 2308 displayed equivalent levels of protective immunity at 1 and 4 weeks post-infection. Heifers were vaccinated with 5 mg of antigens in adjuvant; PG was also administered without adjuvant. Humoral and cell mediated immune (CMI) responses were tested at monthly intervals. PG without adjuvant induced negligible immune responses. Native cell envelope antigens induced significantly higher titers of whole cell agglutinins over a 3-month period than did PG, although revaccination with PG in adjuvant enhanced the production of agglutinins and both vaccines induced antibodies to the O polysaccharide. Lymphocyte blastogenesis responses and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to porin and group 3 proteins were stimulated by both native and PG vaccines, and the magnitude of the responses did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. These vaccines were therefore comparable in their capacity to induce protective immunity in mice and CMI responses in cattle, whereas antibody responses induced by PG in cattle were generally lower. These findings provide a basis for evaluation of nonliving B. abortus vaccines in cattle.

Vaccination of cattle with chemically modified and unmodified salt-extractable proteins from Brucella abortus

Beef heifers were vaccinated on Day 0 with either salt-extractable protein (CSP) or chemically modified CSP (dCSP) from Brucella abortus Strain 19 in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). Six weeks later, vaccination was repeated, and heifers received either the homologous or heterologous vaccine. Another group of heifers received only FCA and saline. Vaccinations with CSP or dCSP stimulated marked antibody responses to B. abortus, as detected by standard serologic tests, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or a quantitative fluorometric immunoassay. Twelve percent of the heifers were seropositive by the CARD test 1 year after vaccination. Vaccination stimulated an increased cell-mediated immune response as measured by lymphocyte blast transformation (LBT) to B. abortus antigens. Fifty-six weeks after the initial vaccination, the heifers were challenged intraconjunctivally with 1.9 X 10(7) colony-forming units of B. abortus strain 2308. Sixty to 83% of the heifers aborted in each group and 70-83% of the heifers were culture positive. There were no significant differences (P greater than 0.05) among groups with respect to the number of abortions or the number of culture-positive heifers. Antibody responses increased rapidly within 4 weeks after challenge. Overall, antibody responses were greater for heifers that aborted than for those that did not abort. These differences were significant (P less than 0.05) only as measured by the fluorometric procedure. The LBT responses appeared to be higher for vaccinates than for the control group, but these differences were not significant (P greater than 0.20). There was a significantly lower (P less than 0.05) LBT response to heat-killed B. abortus in those heifers that aborted compared to those that did not.

Isolation and antigenic reactivity of Brucella ovis outer membrane proteins

Brucella ovis cell membranes were isolated from fractured and lysozyme-treated cells by ultracentrifugation. These preparations appeared to consist largely of outer membranes, as judged from the results of ultracentrifugation experiments in sucrose density gradients under conditions that are widely used to separate inner and outer membranes of gram-negative bacteria. The sequential detergent extraction of cell membranes yielded mainly lipopolysaccharide and three groups of outer membrane proteins. In immunoblotting, lipopolysaccharide had good antigenic reactivity with all sera from rams exposed to B. ovis (vaccination or natural infection), but some outer membrane proteins reacted strongly only with sera from immune (vaccinated) rams, not from infected rams, suggesting a possible diagnostic role for such proteins in predicting immunity or infection.

Effect of pregnancy on the immune response of cattle to a Brucella vaccine

An experiment was performed to determine whether humoral- or cell-mediated immune responses of cattle to a Brucella abortus vaccine were influenced by the stage of gestation. Heifers were vaccinated 2 mth before and 2 mth after breeding with cell envelopes of B. abortus in an oil adjuvant containing trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide. Control groups received adjuvant alone or no vaccine. Following breeding, vaccinated animals were divided into pregnant and nonpregnant subgroups. Immune responses to two outer membrane proteins were measured at monthly intervals by ELISA and lymphocyte blastogenesis tests. Skin tests were performed during the ninth month of gestation. Vaccination induced sustained immune responses, but few differences were detected between pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The relative increase in IgA antibodies to group 3 protein in nonpregnant heifers exceeded that in pregnant heifers during months 4 and 6 of gestation (P less than 0.05). Dermal hypersensitivity, measured by changes in double skin thickness, was significantly greater in nonpregnant heifers to porin (P less than 0.01) and group 3 (P less than 0.05) antigens at 24 h post-injection, but no significant differences in skin thicknesses or in the nature of the lesions were observed at 48 h. Animals which received adjuvant alone demonstrated negligible responses. Pregnancy had no significant effect on the responses of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or Concanavalin A (Con A). However, plasmas from nonvaccinated pregnant heifers taken during the sixth and seventh (but not eight or ninth) months of pregnancy decreased responses of normal donor cells to PHA and Con A when compared with those in autologous plasma (P less than 0.05).

Comparison of living and nonliving vaccines for Brucella abortus in BALB/c mice

The BALB/c mouse was selected as a model for infection with Brucella abortus on the basis of protracted nonclinical infection produced by strain 2308, virulent for cattle, and relatively rapid clearance of strain 19, an attenuated strain used to vaccinate cattle. Protection in mice vaccinated with strain 19 was compared with that obtained with nonliving vaccines at early (1 week) and later (4 weeks) intervals after challenge with strain 2308 and assessed by enumeration of B. abortus organisms in the spleen. Mice challenged 4 weeks after vaccination with strain 19 exhibited significant protection at 1 and 4 weeks postinfection (p.i.), with an increased magnitude of protection at the later time. When challenged 6 weeks after vaccination with strain 19, the level of protection diminished between 1 and 4 weeks p.i. and at the later time was not always significantly different from controls. Mice immunized 4 weeks earlier with nonliving vaccines in mineral oil with t trehalose dimycolate (TDM) and muramyl dipeptide (MDP) demonstrated patterns of protection similar to those obtained following the 6 week vaccination-challenge interval with strain 19. Vaccination with cell envelopes derived from strain 2308 produced equivalent protection at 1 week p.i. whether administered in phosphate-buffered saline, incomplete Freund adjuvant, or the TDM and MDP adjuvant. Equivalent protection also followed vaccination with strain 2308 killed whole cells, cell envelopes, or outer membrane proteins in phosphate-buffered saline or in the TDM and MDP adjuvant. The TDM and MDP adjuvant alone induced nonspecific resistance, which peaked at 1 day p.i. and was still present at 1 week p.i., although by this time its magnitude was significantly less than the protection induced by antigen combined with the adjuvant. These data, together with the results of antibody assays and passive and adoptive transfer studies, suggested that protection at 1 week p.i. could be accounted for largely by an effect of O antibodies, with T cell-mediated immune responses having a subsidiary role.

Collaboration of bovine T lymphocytes and macrophages in T-lymphocyte response to Brucella abortus

Brucella abortus-induced bovine macrophage-T-lymphocyte collaboration was studied as a prerequisite for the eventual clearance of this infectious organism. Esterase-positive, peripheral blood monocytes functioned as an adherent antigen-presenting cell population. A dual requirement for expression of bacterial antigens in combination with self major histocompatibility complex class II products was required by adherent cells for the activation of T lymphocytes. Comparison of antigen-presenting cell populations that were either trypsinized or nontrypsinized following B. abortus ingestion substantiated the need for phagocytosis and antigen processing. A monoclonal antibody (H4) directed against major histocompatibility complex class II determinants was able to block or, with complement, to abrogate T-lymphocyte responses. Measurement of both proliferation and interleukin 2 production via [3H]thymidine incorporation confirmed specific activation of an enriched T-lymphocyte population. These results indicate that in vivo-primed T lymphocytes of peripheral blood origin recognize phagocytized bacterial components of the facultative intracellular bacterium B. abortus and may contribute to the removal of the bacteria. Furthermore, bovine peripheral blood-adherent cells function as classic antigen-presenting cells, which suggests that macrophages are capable of processing this bacteria. Therefore, any lymphocyte-mediated dysfunction attributable to B. abortus most likely occurs at some point in the cascade of immune events following initial macrophage-T-lymphocyte collaboration.

Immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G responses in BALB/c mice to conjugated outer membrane extracts of four Salmonella serotypes

Outer membranes (OMs) of Salmonella enteritidis, S. anatum, S. typhimurium, and S. infantis were extracted and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde to form a large macromolecular antigen. The antigen consisted of OM proteins and lipopolysaccharide and was designated 4-OMP-LPS. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of extracted OMs from each serotype revealed differences in protein profiles. S. enteritidis and S. infantis possessed a greater variety of proteins than did S. anatum and S. typhimurium. Immunizations with 4-OMP-LPS in phosphate-buffered saline (4-OMP-LPS-C) and 4-OMP-LPS emulsified with muramyl dipeptide in the oil phase of a hexadecane-water emulsion (4-OMP-LPS-MDP) revealed that BALB/c mice were capable of eliciting specific primary and secondary immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG responses. Both antigen preparations were capable of eliciting IgM and IgG specific for the cell surfaces of each live Salmonella serotype. Also, 4-OMP-LPS-MDP and 4-OMP-LPS-C were capable of evoking a substantial anamnestic response. Adsorption studies revealed that the combined serotypes had the antigenic capacity to adsorb up to 94% of the antibodies, but 4-OMP-LPS-MDP antibodies were more effectively adsorbed than were 4-OMP-LPS-C antibodies. Adsorption of pooled antiserum with heterologous bacteria yielded a variety of adsorption profiles.

Immune response of cattle to Brucella abortus outer membrane proteins measured by lymphocyte blastogenesis

Lymphocytes from cattle were tested in a blastogenesis test with outer membrane proteins isolated from smooth strain 2308 and rough strain 45/20 of Brucella abortus. The titration assay developed for measuring blastogenesis to microbial antigens (Baldwin, Antczak and Winter, this issue, pp. 319-333) was used to assess the response to both group 2 (porins) (Douglas et al., 1984) and group 3 proteins (Verstreate et al., 1982). Blastogenesis was evaluated for distinguishing cattle infected with virulent B. abortus strain 2308 from unimmunized cattle, cattle vaccinated with attenuated strain 19, or inoculated with Escherichia coli 0116:H31, known to cause serological cross-reactions with B. abortus (Nielsen et al., 1980). Strain 45/20 porin was the most effective for this purpose and data analyses utilizing the titration assay were better than those relying on a single point assay. When compared with BASA, an antigen preparation used in other studies (Kaneene et al., 1978a), responses to porin provided a more specific index of infection with B. abortus. Reactions to 45/20 porin occurred, however, in some heifers vaccinated as adults with strain 19 or inoculated with E. coli 0116:H31. Furthermore, nonpregnant heifers had negligible or only transient blastogenesis responses to the porin during the first 14 weeks after infection even though they developed strong 0 antibody responses. We do not recommend the blastogenesis test in its present form as a useful adjunct to serological tests, and could allow measurement of cell mediated immune responses relevant to protective immunity.

Blastogenic response of bovine lymphocytes to Brucella abortus lipopolysaccharide

Brucella abortus lipopolysaccharide was tested in a blastogenesis assay with unfractionated and nylon wool-separated peripheral blood lymphocytes of Brucella-naive cattle and cattle immunized with B. abortus. Our results indicated that in cattle the lipopolysaccharide of B. abortus is not a B-cell mitogen. In immunized animals it stimulated predominantly nylon wool-adherent cells. The lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli O128:B12, in contrast, induced a substantially greater proliferative response in circulating lymphocytes, predominantly those adherent to nylon wool, of the Brucella-naive cattle.

Outer membrane proteins from rough strains of four Brucella species

Outer membrane proteins from 15 rough strains of Brucella abortus, B. ovis, B. canis, and B. melitensis were extracted with a dipolar detergent, and outer membrane proteins from selected strains were purified by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration (Verstreate et al., Infect. Immun. 35:979-989, 1982). Outer membrane proteins produced two types of profiles on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. One type, demonstrated by B. abortus, B. ovis, and B. canis strains, contained the three predominant protein groups present in smooth B. abortus strains (Verstreate et al., Infect. Immun. 35:979-989, 1982): groups 1, 2 (porin [Douglas et al., Infect. Immun. 44:16-21]), and 3. B. melitensis strains demonstrated the second profile type, in which there was an additional band between groups 1 and 2. The relative proportion of porin was considerably lower in B. ovis, B. canis, and B. melitensis than in B. abortus. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles could be used to distinguish B. abortus and B. melitensis from each other and from B. canis and B. ovis. The amino acid compositions of groups 2 and 3 from rough strains of B. abortus, B. canis, and B. melitensis were similar to those of corresponding proteins from smooth B. abortus strains. Zwittergent-soluble fractions from most rough strains contained antigen [b], which cross-reacted with group 2 from smooth B. abortus strains, and antigens [c] and [d], which cross-reacted with group 3 from smooth B. abortus strains. Antigen [a], shared by groups 2 and 3 (D. R. Verstreate and A. J. Winter, Infect. Immun. 46:182-187, 1984), was detected in most rough strains. None of these antigens were related to either rough or smooth lipopolysaccharide.

Comparison of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles and antigenic relatedness among outer membrane proteins of 49 Brucella abortus strains

Outer membrane proteins were solubilized from 49 strains of Brucella abortus by sequential extraction of physically disrupted cells with N-lauroylsarcosinate and a dipolar ionic detergent (Verstreate et al., Infect. Immun. 35:979-989, 1982). The strains tested included standard agglutination test strain 1119, virulent strain 2308, and eight reference strains representing each of the biotypes; the remainder were isolates from cattle in North America with natural infections and included biotypes 1, 2, and 4. Three principal protein groups with apparent molecular weights of 88,000 to 94,000 (group 1), 35,000 to 40,000 (group 2, now established as porins [Douglas et al., Infect. Immun. 44:16-21, 1984]), and 25,000 to 30,000 (group 3) were observed in every strain. Some variability in banding patterns occurred among strains, but intrastrain variation was sufficient to preclude the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles of outer membrane proteins for differentiating among strains of B. abortus. One antigen ([b]) was shared among the porin proteins, and three others ([c], ([d], and ([ e]) were shared among the group 3 proteins of all of the strains tested, indicating that these relationships are probably species wide. These results suggest that it may be possible to use outer membrane proteins from a representative strain of B. abortus in a vaccine for species-wide immunization.

Identification and extraction of Pasteurella haemolytica membrane proteins

The inner and outer membranes of Pasteurella haemolytica were separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation after plasmolysis of the cells in 20% sucrose and fragmentation in a French pressure cell. Assays of the two membrane fractions for 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, succinate dehydrogenase, and NADH dehydrogenase and by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that each of the two membrane fractions was purified fivefold relative to the other. The outer membrane fraction contained two major proteins of molecular weights 30,000 and 42,000 (30K and 42K proteins), and the inner membrane fraction contained five proteins in approximately equal amounts. Intact bacteria as well as membrane fractions were extracted by procedures used by others for vaccine preparation to determine whether the outer membrane proteins were released. Extraction of the isolated membranes with 0.5 M potassium thiocyanate in 0.425 M NaCl with or without EDTA or with M sodium salicylate failed to release more than traces of the outer membrane proteins. Sodium dodecyl sulfate extracted essentially all of the proteins of both membranes, but the products of this procedure were of low solubility and presumably denatured. The inner membrane proteins were extracted with 0.5% Sarkosyl in 0.02 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5). The 42K outer membrane protein, most of the lipopolysaccharide, and some of the 30K outer membrane protein were extracted with 1% Zwittergent 3-16 in 0.25 M NaCl (pH 8), and the remaining 30K outer membrane protein was extracted with 1% deoxycholate in 0.25% NaCl (pH 8). Extraction of membranes in this sequence yielded partially purified membrane proteins that were soluble in dilute buffers.

Quantitative capacities of glutaraldehyde and sodium m-periodate coupled peroxidase-anti-human IgG conjugates in enzyme-linked immunoassays

Covalently linked peroxidase-anti-human IgG conjugates were prepared by either glutaraldehyde or NaIO4 coupling techniques. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that the glutaraldehyde coupled conjugate is composed of generally lower molecular weight components than the NaIO4 coupled product. The NaIO4 conjugate, when used to quantitate human immunoglobulin (Ig) in enzyme-linked immunoassays, appears to be highly sensitive in that small amounts of Ig elicited relatively high reactivities. The quantitative range of this type of conjugates, where reactivities are linearly proportional to the amount of human Ig present, is, however, extremely narrow (0.01-0.10 micrograms/ml of human IgG). Conversely, the glutaraldehyde coupled type conjugate is capable of sustaining a much wider range of linearity (0.01-0.6 micrograms/ml), but with a more gradual rise of reactivity which corresponds well to the amount of human Ig present. Conjugates prepared with glutaraldehyde are thus more useful in quantitative assays where wide quantitative ranges are desirable. NaIO4 conjugates on the other hand, are more suited to qualitative assays where sensitivity is more important.