Involvement of gamma interferon in antibody enhancement by adjuvants

Studies on the protective efficacy and immunogenicity of Hsp70 and Hsp83 based vaccine formulations in Leishmania donovani infected BALB/c mice

Visceral leishmaniasis, a chronic systemic infection, is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in many parts of world. The current drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis are toxic, expensive, difficult to administer and becoming ineffective due to the emergence of drug resistance. In the absence of effective treatment, vaccination remains the only hope for control of the disease. We have evaluated the protective efficacy of two heat shock proteins (Hsp70 and Hsp83) in combination with two different adjuvants (MPLA and ALD) in Leishmania donovani infected inbred BALB/c mice. The proteins were isolated by SDS-PAGE and the mice were immunized subcutaneously with Hsp70+Hsp83, Hsp70+Hsp83+ALD and Hsp70+Hsp83+MPLA. These were challenged with 10(7) promastigotes of L. donovani. The animals were sacrificed on 30, 60 and 90 days post challenge for the assessment of parasite load and generation of cellular and humoral immune responses. The vaccines induced a strong protective response against experimental visceral leishmaniasis as shown by reduced parasite load in liver of all immunized groups as compared to the infected controls. The vaccines also led to the augmentation of DTH responses, increased levels of IgG2a, IFN-γ and IL-2. Both the adjuvants raised significantly the level of protection imparted by the proteins but MPLA was more effective in comparison to ALD.

Virus-like particle vaccines and adjuvants: the HPV paradigm

Complex antigen structures currently represent the most-studied approach for prophylactic as well as therapeutic vaccines. Different types of complex vaccines, including virus-like particles and virosomes, have been developed depending on the nature of the viral pathogen they are trying to replicate (enveloped vs naked) or the modality to express antigenic epitopes (i.e., the binding of envelope protein on liposomic structures). The complex structure of these vaccines provides them with some adjuvanted properties, not uniformly present for all virus-like particle types. The further inclusion of specific adjuvants in vaccine preparations can modify the presentation modality of such particles to the immune system with a specific Th1 versus Th2 polarization efficacy. A paradigm of the relevance of these new adjuvants are the immunological results obtained with the inclusion of monophosphoryl lipid A adjuvant in the formulation of L1-based human papillomavirus-naked virus-like particles to reduce a Th1 cellular immunity impairment, peculiar for alum-derived adjuvants, along with the induction of highly enhanced humoral and memory B-cellular immunity.

Cytokines as adjuvants for avian vaccines

The worldwide trend towards a reduced reliance on in-feed antibiotics has increased the pressure to develop alternative strategies to manage infectious diseases in poultry. With this in mind, there is a great emphasis on vaccine use and the enhancement of existing vaccines to provide long-term protection. Currently existing adjuvants for poultry can have deleterious side-effects, such as inflammation, resulting in the down-grading of meat quality and a subsequent reduction in profits. Therefore, to enhance the use of vaccination, alternative adjuvants must be developed. The use of recombinant cytokines as adjuvants in poultry is attracting considerable attention, and their potential role as such has been addressed by several studies. The recent identification of a number of chicken cytokine genes has provided the possibility to study their effectiveness in enhancing the immune response during infection and vaccination. This review focuses on the recent studies involving the assessment of cytokines as vaccine adjuvants.

Beryllium, an adjuvant that promotes gamma interferon production

Beryllium is associated with a human pulmonary granulomatosis characterized by an accumulation of CD4(+) T cells in the lungs and a heightened specific lymphocyte proliferative response to beryllium (Be) with gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) release (i.e., a T helper 1 [Th1] response). While an animal model of Be sensitization is not currently available, Be has exhibited adjuvant effects in animals. The effects of Be on BALB/c mice immunized with soluble leishmanial antigens (SLA) were investigated to determine if Be had adjuvant activity for IFN-gamma production, an indicator of the Th1 response. In this strain of Leishmania-susceptible BALB/c mice, a Th2 response is normally observed after in vivo SLA sensitization and in vitro restimulation with SLA. If interleukin-12 (IL-12) is given during in vivo sensitization with SLA, markedly increased IFN-gamma production and decreased IL-4 production are detected. We show here that when beryllium sulfate (BeSO(4)) was added during in vivo sensitization of BALB/c mice with SLA and IL-12, significantly increased IFN-gamma production and decreased IL-4 production from lymph node and spleen cells were detected upon in vitro SLA restimulation. No specific responses were observed to Be alone. Lymph node and spleen cells from all mice proliferated strongly and comparably upon in vitro restimulation with SLA and with SLA plus Be; no differences were noted among groups of mice that received different immunization regimens. In vivo, when Be was added to SLA and IL-12 for sensitization of BALB/c mice, more effective control of Leishmania infection was achieved. This finding has implications for understanding not only the development of granulomatous reactions but also the potential for developing Be as a vaccine adjuvant.

Improving vaccine performance with adjuvants

New vaccines are presently under development and in testing for the control of infectious diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis. Several of these vaccines are composed of synthetic, recombinant, or highly purified subunit antigens. Subunit vaccines are designed to include only the antigens required for protective immunization and to be safer than whole-inactivated or live-attenuated vaccines. However, the purity of the subunit antigens and the absence of the self-adjuvanting immunomodulatory components associated with attenuated or killed vaccines often result in weaker immunogenicity. Immunologic adjuvants are agents that enhance specific immune responses to vaccines. Formulation of vaccines with potent adjuvants is an attractive approach for improving the performance of vaccines composed of subunit antigens. Adjuvants have diverse mechanisms of action and should be selected for use on the basis of the route of administration and the type of immune response (antibody, cell-mediated, or mucosal immunity) that is desired for a particular vaccine.

Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) formulations for the next generation of vaccines

Many of the latest trends in vaccine development are dependent on immunological adjuvants that mediate and promote a wide variety of immune responses. One promising adjuvant candidate, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) immunostimulant, is being investigated with many of these new vaccine approaches in either preclinical or clinical trials. This is possible because different vehicle formulations can significantly influence the type of immunological response MPL promotes. Procedures are provided for formulating MPL in an aqueous vehicle or an oil-in-water emulsion. These two MPL formulations can be beneficial for most vaccine approaches being investigated today.

The role of adjuvants in retroviral vaccines

The global HIV epidemic continues unchecked. Reports to the World Health Organization's Global Programme on AIDS indicate that more than 14 million persons have become infected with HIV and more than two million have died with AIDS. The spread of AIDS has generated a worldwide mandate for the development of safe and effective vaccines against HIV. Vaccines have been the most effective defense against other viral diseases such as polio and smallpox. However, the development of a vaccine against HIV-1 is a formidable task due to the variation of the virus, inadequate animal models of HIV disease, and the lack of correlates of protective immunity. Several candidate HIV vaccines are composed of synthetic, recombinant, or highly purified subunit antigens. Vaccines composed of subunit antigens generally are considered to be safer than traditional whole-killed or live-attenuated vaccines. However, purified subunit vaccines often are inherently less immunogenic than traditional vaccines. Immunologic adjuvants are agents that act generally to enhance specific immune responses to vaccine antigens. Formulation of experimental HIV vaccines with potent immunologic adjuvants is an attractive approach for amplifying and directing immune responses to highly purified antigens. Alum adjuvants, consisting of aluminum salts, first described in the 1920s, remain the only adjuvants in U.S.-licensed vaccine formulations. Novel adjuvants now undergoing preclinical and clinical testing with experimental subunit vaccine include detoxified lipid A, adjuvant emulsions, liposomes, biodegradable microspheres, muramyl peptides, and saponins. Adjuvants have been shown to elicit cytotoxic T-cell responses as well as antibody to subunit antigens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytokines in sleep regulation

The central thesis of this essay is that the cytokine network in brain is a key element in the humoral regulation of sleep responses to infection and in the physiological regulation of sleep. We hypothesize that many cytokines, their cellular receptors, soluble receptors, and endogenous antagonists are involved in physiological sleep regulation. The expressions of some cytokines are greatly amplified by microbial challenge. This excess cytokine production during infection induces sleep responses. The excessive sleep and wakefulness that occur at different times during the course of the infectious process results from dynamic changes in various cytokines that occur during the host's response to infectious challenge. Removal of any one somnogenic cytokine inhibits normal sleep, alters the cytokine network by changing the cytokine mix, but does not completely disrupt sleep due to the redundant nature of the cytokine network. The cytokine network operates in a paracrine/autocrine fashion and is responsive to neuronal use. Finally, cytokines elicit their somnogenic actions via endocrine and neurotransmitter systems as well as having direct effects neurons and glia. Evidence in support of these postulates is reviewed in this essay.

Molecular adjuvants and immunomodulators: new approaches to immunization

Epitopes on microbial antigens responsible for protective immunity have begun to be identified and isolated, and their chemical structures have been determined. Ensuing knowledge of their weak immunizing capacity per se has led to an appreciation of the need for adjuvants to increase the immunogenicity of these low-molecular-weight synthetic structures. As such, a recent surge in adjuvant research has emerged. Accordingly, this review will highlight a number of those adjuvant substances whose activity in animals indicates a potential use in human vaccines. In addition, the potential of several well-defined substances, termed immunomodulators, which nonspecifically stimulate resistance of animals to multiple 50% lethal doses of microbial challenge is described. Among the most extensively characterized adjuvants of microbial origin discussed in detail are (i) the lipopolysaccharides isolated from gram-negative bacteria and their nontoxic analogs, (ii) the synthetic muramyl dipeptides and their multiple analogs, and (iii) the synthetic polyribonucleotide complexes, mimicking the interferon-inducing capacity of viruses. Discussed also are the heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli, the nonionic block copolymers, the saponins, a quinolamine derivative, and the hormone dihydroepiandrosterone.

Activation of the murine monocyte/macrophage cell line, J774A1 by poly(A).poly(U): I. Binding of poly(A).poly(U) and induction of oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase

Binding and internalization of the synthetic double-stranded complex poly(A).poly(U) were studied on a murine monocyte/macrophage cell line J774A1. Poly(A).poly(U) increased in a dose-dependent fashion the oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase demonstrating that those cells were responsive to this agonist. Binding of [32P]poly(A).[32P]poly(U) to the cells reached an apparent kinetic equilibrium within 4 h and was saturable (apparent Kd = 9.99 +/- 0.09.10(-2) g/l and Bmax 13.3 +/- 5.3.10(-3) g/l per 10(6) cells) and temperature-dependent. The binding of poly(A).poly(U) was competitively inhibited by various polynucleotides but not by other structurally unrelated compounds. Analysis of cell-associated [32P]poly(A).[32P]poly(U) demonstrated a minimal degradation of this polyribonucleotide over a 4-h incubation period. Autoradiography of cells incubated with [3H]poly(A).[3H]poly(U) revealed that poly(A).poly(U) was internalized and migrated to cell nuclei. These results suggest that poly(A).poly(U) is internalized in J774A1 cells via an endocytotic process.

Current research on ovine cytokines

Cytokines are key mediators of the immune system, dictating the quality of the host response to infection. The importance of such immune mediators to the development of immune and inflammatory responses has emerged from work in mouse and man, however it has now become necessary to produce the equivalent (and novel) cytokines in ruminants. Over the past three years recombinant DNA techniques have allowed the cloning of numerous ovine cytokines. These include interleukins -1, -2 and -3 (IL-1, -2 and -3), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), ovine trophoblast protein (oTP-1), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The predicted amino-acid sequences of these ovine proteins show varying degrees of similarity with the equivalent human proteins thus explaining why some of the cytokines are not biologically cross-reactive between species. Recombinant ovine proteins have been produced for IFN-gamma, oTP-1, IL-1, IL-3 and GM-CSF. Their biological activities are very similar to those of their human counterparts. Although it is too early to tell whether the recombinant ovine proteins will be of use in the treatment or prophylaxis of infectious disease, work in cattle and pigs has indicated the potential usefulness of cytokines in this role.

Abrogation of suppression of delayed hypersensitivity induced by Candida albicans-derived mannan by treatment with monophosphoryl lipid A

Monophosphoryl lipid A (MLA), derived either from Salmonella minnesota or Salmonella typhimurium, was tested for its ability to alter Candida albicans mannan (MAN)-specific suppression. Since we showed previously that naive mice injected intravenously (i.v.) with MAN developed suppressor T cells capable of down-regulating delayed-type hypersensitivity when transferred to immunized recipients, MLA was tested for its ability to influence suppressor activity in the donors of suppressor cells. T-lymphocyte-enriched suspensions from donor mice treated with MLA, especially that derived from S. typhimurium, 2 or 3 days after the injection of MAN lost the ability to suppress delayed-type hypersensitivity when transferred to immunized mice. Transferable suppressor activity was reduced but not always completely abrogated when donor animals were treated with MLA 1 day following the administration of MAN. In several experiments, S. minnesota MLA also abrogated activity, but it was not effective in other transfer experiments. In a different type of experiment, MLA was given to immunized mice which had been suppressed directly with MAN. Mice were immunized, either by the introduction of C. albicans intragastrically followed by inoculation intradermally (i.d.) or by two i.d. inoculations, and MAN-specific suppressor cells were induced in such animals by the i.v. injection of MAN 1 day before the first or second i.d. inoculation in animals given intragastric plus i.d. inoculations and those given two i.d. inoculations, respectively. MLA was administered to such mice prior to the i.v. injection of MAN, on the same day, or 1 to 4 days thereafter. S. typhimurium MLA, especially when given to mice 2 days following the administration of MAN, caused a partial abrogation of suppressor activity. Overall, however, MLA, at 5 to 100 micrograms, had variable and minimal effects on suppressor activity in immunized mice suppressed by the i.v. administration of MAN. In summary, MLA is clearly capable of abrogating MAN-induced suppression when given to nonimmunized animals in which MAN-specific suppressor cells had been induced, but its efficacy in immunized animals suppressed by the i.v. administration of MAN was marginal.

Cloning and sequencing of the ovine gamma-interferon gene

Cytokines are major modulators of the immune system of all animals. The cloning and expression of recombinant cytokine genes have permitted the analysis of their immune function and role in the control of the immune response to disease and vaccination. While human, murine, and bovine genes have been cloned and sequenced, the cloning of ovine cytokine genes has not yet been reported. As sheep are of dominant economic importance to the Australian farming industry, it is of significance to clone and express these genes to facilitate the development of new and better vaccines and pharmaceuticals. We have initially selected ovine gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) as a target cytokine gene. By the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers based on the bovine gamma-interferon sequence, we have amplified the ovine gamma-interferon gene from crude messenger RNA extracted from lymphocytes. After cloning and DNA sequencing the gene, we found that ovine gamma-IFN is 93% identical to bovine gamma-IFN in amino acid sequence. This result indicates that the PCR method will be a rapid and efficient means for cloning other ovine cytokine genes.