Safety, infectivity, immunogenicity, and in vivo stability of two attenuated auxotrophic mutant strains of Salmonella typhi, 541Ty and 543Ty, as live oral vaccines in humans

Attenuated Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium, Strain NC983, Is Immunogenic, and Protective against Virulent Typhimurium Challenges in Mice

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars are significant health burden worldwide. Although much effort has been devoted to developing typhoid-based vaccines for humans, currently there is no NTS vaccine available. Presented here is the efficacy of a live attenuated serovar Typhimurium strain (NC983). Oral delivery of strain NC983 was capable of fully protecting C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice against challenge with virulent Typhimurium. Strain NC983 was found to elicit an anti-Typhimurium IgG response following administration of vaccine and boosting doses. Furthermore, in competition experiments with virulent S. Typhimurium (ATCC 14028), NC983 was highly defective in colonization of the murine liver and spleen. Collectively, these results indicate that strain NC983 is a potential live attenuated vaccine strain that warrants further development.

Oral Delivery of a Novel Attenuated Salmonella Vaccine Expressing Influenza A Virus Proteins Protects Mice against H5N1 and H1N1 Viral Infection

Attenuated strains of invasive enteric bacteria, such as Salmonella, represent promising gene delivery agents for nucleic acid-based vaccines as they can be administrated orally. In this study, we constructed a novel attenuated strain of Salmonella for the delivery and expression of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus. We showed that the constructed Salmonella strain exhibited efficient gene transfer activity for HA and NA expression and little cytotoxicity and pathogenicity in mice. Using BALB/c mice as the model, we evaluated the immune responses and protection induced by the constructed Salmonella-based vaccine. Our study showed that the Salmonella-based vaccine induced significant production of anti-HA serum IgG and mucosal IgA, and of anti-HA interferon-γ producing T cells in orally vaccinated mice. Furthermore, mice orally vaccinated with the Salmonella vaccine expressing viral HA and NA proteins were completely protected from lethal challenge of highly pathogenic H5N1 as well as H1N1 influenza viruses while none of the animals treated with the Salmonella vaccine carrying the empty expression vector with no viral antigen expression was protected. These results suggest that the Salmonella-based vaccine elicits strong antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses and provides effective immune protection against multiple strains of influenza viruses. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the feasibility of developing novel attenuated Salmonella strains as new oral vaccine vectors against influenza viruses.

The delicate balance in genetically engineering live vaccines

Contemporary vaccine development relies less on empirical methods of vaccine construction, and now employs a powerful array of precise engineering strategies to construct immunogenic live vaccines. In this review, we will survey various engineering techniques used to create attenuated vaccines, with an emphasis on recent advances and insights. We will further explore the adaptation of attenuated strains to create multivalent vaccine platforms for immunization against multiple unrelated pathogens. These carrier vaccines are engineered to deliver sufficient levels of protective antigens to appropriate lymphoid inductive sites to elicit both carrier-specific and foreign antigen-specific immunity. Although many of these technologies were originally developed for use in Salmonella vaccines, application of the essential logic of these approaches will be extended to development of other enteric vaccines where possible. A central theme driving our discussion will stress that the ultimate success of an engineered vaccine rests on achieving the proper balance between attenuation and immunogenicity. Achieving this balance will avoid over-activation of inflammatory responses, which results in unacceptable reactogenicity, but will retain sufficient metabolic fitness to enable the live vaccine to reach deep tissue inductive sites and trigger protective immunity. The breadth of examples presented herein will clearly demonstrate that genetic engineering offers the potential for rapidly propelling vaccine development forward into novel applications and therapies which will significantly expand the role of vaccines in public health.

Live oral Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccines Ty21a and CVD 909 induce opsonophagocytic functional antibodies in humans that cross-react with S. Paratyphi A and S. Paratyphi B

Live oral Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccine Ty21a induces specific antibodies that cross-react against Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A and Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B, although their functional role in clearance remains unknown. We utilized an in vitro assay with THP-1 macrophages to compare the phagocytosis and survival of Salmonella opsonized with heat-inactivated human sera obtained before and after vaccination with Ty21a or a live oral S. Typhi vaccine, CVD 909. Opsonization with postvaccination sera predominantly increased the phagocytosis of S. Typhi relative to the corresponding prevaccination sera, and increases were also observed with S. Paratyphi A and S. Paratyphi B, albeit of lower magnitudes. Relative to prevaccination sera, opsonization with the postvaccination sera reduced the survival inside macrophages of S. Typhi but not of S. Paratyphi A or S. Paratyphi B. Higher anti-S. Typhi O antigen (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) IgG, but not IgA, antibody titers correlated significantly with postvaccination increases in opsonophagocytosis. No differences were observed between immunization with four doses of Ty21a or one dose of CVD 909. Ty21a and CVD 909 induced cross-reactive functional antibodies, predominantly against S. Typhi. IgG anti-LPS antibodies may be important in phagocytic clearance of these organisms. Therefore, measurement of functional antibodies might be important in assessing the immunogenicity of a new generation of typhoid and paratyphoid A vaccines. (The CVD 909 study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00326443.).

TTSS2-deficient hha mutant of Salmonella Typhimurium exhibits significant systemic attenuation in immunocompromised hosts

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections are emerging as leading problem worldwide and the variations in host immune status append to the concern of NTS. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the causative agents of NTS infections and has been extensively studied. The inactivation of Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI2) encoded type-III secretion system 2 (TTSS2) has been reported rendering the strain incapable for systemic dissemination to host sites and has also been proposed as live-attenuated vaccine. However, infections from TTSS2-deficient Salmonella have also been reported. In this study, mutant strain MT15 was developed by inactivation of the hemolysin expression modulating protein (hha) in TTSS2-deficient S. Typhimurium background. The MT15 strain showed significant level of attenuation in immune-deprived murine colitis model when tested in iNos(-/-), IL10(-/-), and CD40L(-/-) mice groups in C57BL/6 background. Further, the mutation in hha does not implicate any defect in bacterial colonization to the host gut. The long-term infection of developed mutant strain conferred protective immune responses to suitably immunized streptomycin pre-treated C57BL/6 mice. The immunization enhanced the CD4(+) and CD8(+) cell types involved in bacterial clearance. The serum IgG and luminal secretory IgA (sIgA) was also found to be elevated after the due course of infection. Additionally, the immunized C57BL/6 mice were protected from the subsequent lethal infection of Salmonella Typhimurium. Collectively, these findings implicate the involvement of hemolysin expression modulating protein (Hha) in establishment of bacterial infection. In light of the observed attenuation of the developed mutant strain, this study proposes the possible significance of SPI2-deficient hha mutant as an alternative live-attenuated vaccine strain for use against lethal Salmonella infections.

Engineered external guide sequences are highly effective in inhibiting gene expression and replication of hepatitis B virus in cultured cells

External guide sequences (EGSs) are RNA molecules that consist of a sequence complementary to a target mRNA and recruit intracellular ribonuclease P (RNase P), a tRNA processing enzyme, for specific degradation of the target mRNA. We have previously used an in vitro selection procedure to generate EGS variants that efficiently induce human RNase P to cleave a target mRNA in vitro. In this study, we constructed EGSs from a variant to target the overlapping region of the S mRNA, pre-S/L mRNA, and pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which are essential for viral replication and infection. The EGS variant was about 50-fold more efficient in inducing human RNase P to cleave the mRNA in vitro than the EGS derived from a natural tRNA. Following Salmonella-mediated gene delivery, the EGSs were expressed in cultured HBV-carrying cells. A reduction of about 97% and 75% in the level of HBV RNAs and proteins and an inhibition of about 6,000- and 130-fold in the levels of capsid-associated HBV DNA were observed in cells treated with Salmonella vectors carrying the expression cassette for the variant and the tRNA-derived EGS, respectively. Our study provides direct evidence that the EGS variant is more effective in blocking HBV gene expression and DNA replication than the tRNA-derived EGS. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the feasibility of developing Salmonella-mediated gene delivery of highly active EGS RNA variants as a novel approach for gene-targeting applications such as anti-HBV therapy.

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus gene expression and replication by ribonuclease P

Nucleic acid-based gene interfering approaches, such as those mediated by RNA interference and RNase P-associated external guide sequence (EGS), have emerged as promising antiviral strategies. The RNase P-based technology is unique, because a custom-designed EGS can bind to any complementary mRNA sequence and recruit intracellular RNase P for specific degradation of the target mRNA. In this study, a functional EGS was constructed to target hepatitis B virus (HBV) essential transcripts. Furthermore, an attenuated Salmonella strain was constructed and used for delivery of anti-HBV EGS in cells and in mice. Substantial reduction in the levels of HBV gene expression and viral DNA was detected in cells treated with the Salmonella vector carrying the functional EGS construct. Furthermore, oral inoculation of Salmonella carrying the EGS construct led to an inhibition of ~95% in the levels of HBV gene expression and a reduction of ~200,000-fold in viral DNA level in the livers and sera of the treated mice transfected with a HBV plasmid. Our results suggest that EGSs are effective in inhibiting HBV replication in cultured cells and mammalian livers, and demonstrate the use of Salmonella-mediated delivery of EGS as a promising therapeutic approach for human diseases including HBV infection.

New technologies in developing recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine vectors

Recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine (RASV) vectors producing recombinant gene-encoded protective antigens should have special traits. These features ensure that the vaccines survive stresses encountered in the gastrointestinal tract following oral vaccination to colonize lymphoid tissues without causing disease symptoms and to result in induction of long-lasting protective immune responses. We recently described ways to achieve these goals by using regulated delayed in vivo attenuation and regulated delayed in vivo antigen synthesis, enabling RASVs to efficiently colonize effector lymphoid tissues and to serve as factories to synthesize protective antigens that induce higher protective immune responses. We also developed some additional new strategies to increase vaccine safety and efficiency. Modification of lipid A can reduce the inflammatory responses without compromising the vaccine efficiency. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from Salmonella-containing heterologous protective antigens can be used to increase vaccine efficiency. A dual-plasmid system, possessing Asd+ and DadB+ selection markers, each specifying a different protective antigen, can be used to develop multivalent live vaccines. These new technologies have been adopted to develop a novel, low-cost RASV synthesizing multiple protective pneumococcal protein antigens that could be safe for newborns/infants and induce protective immunity to diverse Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes after oral immunization.

Effective inhibition of cytomegalovirus infection by external guide sequences in mice

Ribonuclease P complexed with external guide sequence (EGS) bound to mRNA represents a unique nucleic acid-based gene interference approach for modulation of gene expression. Compared with other strategies, such as RNA interference, the EGS-based technology is unique because a custom-designed EGS molecule can hybridize with any mRNA and recruit intracellular ribonuclease P for specific degradation of the target mRNA. It has not been reported whether the EGS-based technology can modulate gene expression in mice. In this study, a functional EGS was constructed to target the mRNA encoding the protease (mPR) of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), which is essential for viral replication. Furthermore, a unique attenuated strain of Salmonella was generated for gene delivery of EGS in cultured cells and in mice. Efficient expression of EGS was observed in cultured cells treated with the generated Salmonella vector carrying constructs with the EGS expression cassette. Moreover, a significant reduction in mPR expression and viral growth was found in MCMV-infected cells treated with Salmonella carrying the construct with the functional EGS sequence. When MCMV-infected mice were orally treated with Salmonella carrying EGS expression cassettes, viral gene expression and growth in various organs of these animals were reduced and animal survival improved. Our study suggests that EGS RNAs, when expressed following Salmonella-mediated gene transfer, effectively inhibit viral gene expression and infection in mice. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the feasibility of developing Salmonella-mediated delivery of EGS as a unique approach for treatment that reduces viral diseases in vivo.

Salmonella expressing detoxified lipopolysaccharide is immunogenic and protective both as an attenuated vaccine and for delivery of foreign antigens

The construction of safe and protective vaccines, derived from human pathogens that have been genetically modified to remove pathogenicity, is often easier to accomplish on paper than it is in the laboratory. Kong and colleagues have pursued a clever strategy to reduce the reactogenicity of attenuated Salmonella oral vaccines by genetically modifying the surface lipopolysaccharide to lower endotoxic activity. The resulting candidate vaccine strains were highly reduced in virulence yet were able to confer protection in a mouse model against challenge with virulent Salmonella. Remarkably, these strains could also be further modified to present foreign antigens from unrelated human pathogens and again confer protection against heterologous challenge. This work brings important new tools to bear on solving the problem of creating efficacious attenuated bacterial vaccines that maximize both safety and immunogenicity in clinical trials.

Typhoid fever & vaccine development: a partially answered question

Typhoid fever is a systemic disease caused by the human specific Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi). The extra-intestinal infections caused by Salmonella are very fatal. The incidence of typhoid fever remains very high in impoverished areas and the emergence of multidrug resistance has made the situation worse. To combat and to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by typhoid fever, many preventive measures and strategies have been employed, the most important being vaccination. In recent years, many Salmonella vaccines have been developed including live attenuated as well as DNA vaccines and their clinical trials have shown encouraging results. But with the increasing antibiotic resistance, the development of potent vaccine candidate for typhoid fever is a need of the hour. This review discusses the latest trends in the typhoid vaccine development and the clinical trials which are underway.

Oral delivery of RNase P ribozymes by Salmonella inhibits viral infection in mice

Safe, effective, and tissue-specific delivery is a central issue for the therapeutic application of nucleic-acid-based gene interfering agents, such as ribozymes and siRNAs. In this study, we constructed a functional RNase P-based ribozyme (M1GS RNA) that targets the overlapping mRNA region of M80.5 and protease, two murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) proteins essential for viral replication. In addition, a novel attenuated strain of Salmonella, which exhibited efficient gene transfer activity and little cytotoxicity and pathogenicity in mice, was constructed and used for delivery of anti-MCMV ribozyme. In MCMV-infected macrophages treated with the constructed attenuated Salmonella strain carrying the functional M1GS RNA construct, we observed an 80-85% reduction in the expression of M80.5/protease and a 2,500-fold reduction in viral growth. Oral inoculation of the attenuated Salmonella strain in mice efficiently delivered antiviral M1GS RNA into spleens and livers, leading to substantial expression of the ribozyme without causing significant adverse effects in the animals. Furthermore, the MCMV-infected mice that were treated orally with Salmonella carrying the functional M1GS sequence displayed reduced viral gene expression, decreased viral titers, and improved survival compared to the untreated mice or mice treated with Salmonella containing control ribozyme sequences. Our results provide direct evidence that oral delivery of M1GS RNA by Salmonella-based vectors effectively inhibits viral gene expression and replication in mice. Moreover, this study demonstrates the utility of Salmonella-mediated oral delivery of RNase P ribozyme for gene-targeting applications in vivo.

Salmonella-mediated delivery of RNase P-based ribozymes for inhibition of viral gene expression and replication in human cells

A fundamental challenge in gene therapy is to develop approaches for delivering nucleic acid-based gene interfering agents, such as small interfering RNAs and ribozymes, to the appropriate cells in a way that is tissue/cell specific, efficient, and safe. Using human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of differentiated macrophages as the model, we showed that Salmonella can efficiently deliver RNase P-based ribozyme sequence in specific human cells, leading to substantial ribozyme expression and effective inhibition of viral infection. We constructed a functional RNase P ribozyme (M1GS RNA) that targets the overlapping mRNA region of two HCMV capsid proteins, the capsid scaffolding protein (CSP) and assemblin, which are essential for viral capsid formation. Substantial expression of ribozymes was observed in human differentiated macrophages that were treated with attenuated Salmonella strains carrying the ribozyme sequence constructs. A reduction of 87-90% in viral CSP expression and a reduction of about 5,000-fold in viral growth were observed in cells that were treated with Salmonella carrying the sequence of the functional ribozyme but not with those carrying the sequence of a control ribozyme that contained mutations abolishing the catalytic activity. To our knowledge, this study showed for the first time that ribozymes expressed following targeted gene transfer with Salmonella-based vectors are highly active and specific in blocking viral infection. Moreover, these results demonstrate the feasibility to develop Salmonella-mediated gene transfer of RNase P ribozymes as an effective approach for gene-targeting applications.

Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of live attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A enteric fever vaccine candidates

Eight Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A strains were screened as candidates to create a live attenuated paratyphoid vaccine. Based on biochemical and phenotypic criteria, four strains, RKS2900, MGN9772, MGN9773 and MGN9779, were selected as progenitors for the construction of DeltaphoPQ mutant derivatives. All strains were evaluated in vitro for auxotrophic phenotypes and sensitivity to deoxycholate and polymyxin B. All DeltaphoPQ mutants were more sensitive to deoxycholate and polymyxin B than their wild-type progenitors, however MGN10028, MGN10044 and MGN10048, required exogenous purine for optimal growth. Purine requiring strains had acquired point mutations in purB during strain construction. All four mutants were evaluated for reactogenicity and immunogenicity in an oral rabbit model. Three strains were reactogenic in a dose-dependent manner, while one strain, MGN10028, was well-tolerated at all doses administered. All DeltaphoPQ strains were immunogenic following a single oral dose. The in vitro profile coupled with the favorable reactogenicity and immunogenicity profiles render MGN10028 a suitable live attenuated Paratyphi A vaccine candidate.

Genetic detoxification of an aroA Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine strain does not compromise protection against virulent Salmonella and enhances the immune responses towards a protective malarial antigen

Live Salmonella vaccines are limited in use by the inherent toxicity of the lipopolysaccharide. The waaN gene encodes a myristyl transferase required for the secondary acylation of lipid A in lipopolysaccharide. A waaN mutant exhibits reduced induction of the inflammatory cytokines associated with lipopolysaccharide toxicity. Here the characteristics of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium aroA waaN mutant (SK100) in vitro and in vivo compared with its parent aroA strain (SL3261) were described. Phenotypic analysis of purified lipopolysaccharide obtained from SK100 confirmed that the physical and biological activities of the lipopolysaccharide had been altered. Nevertheless both strains had similar patterns of colonization and persistence in mice and significantly the aroA waaN mutant was equally as effective as the parent at protecting against challenge with wild-type S. Typhimurium. Furthermore, a SK100 strain was constructed expressing both tetanus toxin fragment C and the circumsporozoite protein of a malaria parasite. In marked contrast to its isogenic parent, the new attenuated strain induces significantly enhanced immune responses against the circumsporozoite protein. The waaN mutation enhances the ability of this strain to elicit immune responses towards guest antigens. This study provides important insights into the development of safe and effective multivalent Salmonella vaccines.

Candidate live, attenuated Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium vaccines with reduced fecal shedding are immunogenic and effective oral vaccines

Environmental shedding of genetically manipulated microorganisms is an issue impeding the development of new live vaccines. We have investigated the immunogenicity of a number of novel Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium oral vaccine candidates that express the fragment C (TetC) component of tetanus toxin and harbor combinations of additional mutations in genes shdA, misL, and ratB that contribute to the persistence of serotype Typhimurium's colonization of the intestine. Serotype Typhimurium aroA (TetC) derivatives harboring additional mutations in either shdA or misL or combinations of these mutations exhibited a marked decrease in shedding of the vaccine strain in the feces of orally vaccinated mice. However, equivalent levels of anti-TetC and anti-Salmonella lipopolysaccharide immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1, IgG2a, and IgA were detected in sera of the vaccinated but not of the control mice. Cellular immune responses to TetC were detected in all vaccinated mice, regardless of the presence of the additional mutations in shdA or misL. Further, immunization with serotype Typhimurium aroA candidate vaccines harboring shdA and misL afforded complete protection against challenge with a virulent strain of serotype Typhimurium.

Construction, characterization, and evaluation of the vaccine potential of three genetically defined mutants of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

The delta galE, delta purA, and delta aroA derivatives of avian septicemic Escherichia coli EC99 strain (O78 serogroup) were constructed with a suicide vector containing the pir-dependent R6K replicon and the sacB gene of Bacillus subtilis. The resultant isogenic mutants were stable and lacked approximately 45%, 36%, and 52% of the genes for galE, purA, and aroA, respectively. The delta purA and delta aroA mutants did not grow on minimal medium, whereas the delta galE mutant grew on minimal medium but was sensitive to galactose-induced lysis. The reversion frequencies of all three mutants were <10(-12). The mutants were highly attenuated for virulence as determined by administration of approximately 10(7) colony-forming units of each mutant to 1-day-old chicks by the subcutaneous route. Chickens were vaccinated with the mutants by spray (droplet size approximately 20 microm) at 1 and 14 days of age to determine safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy. The mutants were found to be safe. Seven days after a second vaccination, immunoglobulin (Ig)Y antibodies to E. coli in serum and air sac washings were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In both serum and air sac washings, IgY antibodies were significantly higher in chickens vaccinated with the mutants as compared with phosphate-buffered saline-treated controls but were significantly lower compared with chickens that were vaccinated with the parent strain. In serum, but not in air sac washings, IgY antibodies were significantly lower in chickens vaccinated with the mutants compared with the parent strain. The vaccinated chickens were given infectious bronchitis virus intranasally at 17 days of age and were challenged with homologous (EC99 strain) or heterologous (O2 serogroup) E. coli 4 days later. Chickens that received wild-type EC99 strain or its mutant derivatives were protected from homologous but not from heterologous challenge. This study indicates that the delta galE, delta purA, and delta aroA mutants are safe and moderately immunogenic but the protection conferred by the mutants is serogroup specific.

Characterization and pathogenic significance of Vibrio vulnificus antigens preferentially expressed in septicemic patients

Many important virulence genes of pathogenic bacteria are preferentially expressed in vivo. We used the recently developed in vivo-induced antigen technology (IVIAT) to identify Vibrio vulnificus genes induced in vivo. An expression library of V. vulnificus was screened by colony blot analysis by using pooled convalescent-phase serum that had been thoroughly adsorbed with in vitro-expressed V. vulnificus whole cells and lysates. Twelve clones were selected, and the sequences of the insert DNAs were analyzed. The DNA sequences showed homologies with genes encoding proteins of diverse functions: these functions included chemotaxis (a methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein), signaling (a GGDEF-containing protein and a putative serine/threonine kinase), biosynthesis and metabolism (PyrH, PurH, and IlvC), secretion (TatB and plasmid Achromobacter secretion [PAS] factor), transcriptional activation (IlvY and HlyU), and the activity of a putative lipoprotein (YaeC). In addition, one identified open reading frame encoded a hypothetical protein. Isogenic mutants of the 12 in vivo-expressed (ive) genes were constructed and tested for cytotoxicity. Cytotoxic activity of the mutant strains, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase release from HeLa cells, was nearly abolished in pyrH, purH, and hlyU mutants. The intraperitoneal 50% lethal dose in mice increased by ca. 10- to 50-fold in these three mutants. PyrH and PurH seem to be essential for in vivo growth. HlyU appears to be one of the master regulators of in vivo virulence expression. The successful identification of ive genes responsible for the in vivo bacterial virulence, as done in the present study, demonstrates the usefulness of IVIAT for the detection of new virulence genes.

Phenotypic mutants of the intracellular actinomycete Rhodococcus equi created by in vivo Himar1 transposon mutagenesis

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular opportunistic pathogen of immunocompromised people and a major cause of pneumonia in young horses. An effective live attenuated vaccine would be extremely useful in the prevention of R. equi disease in horses. Toward that end, we have developed an efficient transposon mutagenesis system that makes use of a Himar1 minitransposon delivered by a conditionally replicating plasmid for construction of R. equi mutants. We show that Himar1 transposition in R. equi is random and needs no apparent consensus sequence beyond the required TA dinucleotide. The diversity of the transposon library was demonstrated by the ease with which we were able to screen for auxotrophs and mutants with pigmentation and capsular phenotypes. One of the pigmentation mutants contained an insertion in a gene encoding phytoene desaturase, an enzyme of carotenoid biosynthesis, the pathway necessary for production of the characteristic salmon color of R. equi. We identified an auxotrophic mutant with a transposon insertion in the gene encoding a putative dual-functioning GTP cyclohydrolase II-3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone-4-phosphate synthase, an enzyme essential for riboflavin biosynthesis. This mutant cannot grow in minimal medium in the absence of riboflavin supplementation. Experimental murine infection studies showed that, in contrast to wild-type R. equi, the riboflavin-requiring mutant is attenuated because it is unable to replicate in vivo. The mutagenesis methodology we have developed will allow the characterization of R. equi virulence mechanisms and the creation of other attenuated strains with vaccine potential.

Efficacy of atovaquone/proguanil for malaria prophylaxis in children and its effect on the immunogenicity of live oral typhoid and cholera vaccines

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to measure the impact of malaria prophylaxis with atovaquone/proguanil (A-P) on the immunogenicity of vaccines against typhoid fever and cholera, Salmonella serotype Typhi Ty21a and Vibrio cholerae CVD103-HgR, respectively. A total of 330 Gabonese schoolchildren were assigned to receive either A-P or placebo for 12 weeks. Vaccination occurred 3 weeks after the start of prophylaxis, and immunogenicity was assessed 4 weeks after vaccination. The protective efficacy of A-P against Plasmodium falciparum malaria was of 97% (95% confidence interval, 79%-100%). The 2 treatment groups did not differ significantly with regard to changes in antibody titers after vaccination (P=.96 for anti-S. Typhi IgG antibodies, P=.07 for anti-S. Typhi IgA antibodies, and P=.64 for vibriocidal antibodies). The A-P combination was highly effective for malaria prophylaxis, without interfering with the in vivo immunogenicity of CVD103-HgR and Ty21a vaccines, and it could therefore be simultaneously administered with these vaccines.

Salmonella vaccines for use in humans: present and future perspectives

In recent years there has been significant progress in the development of attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strains as candidate typhoid fever vaccines. In clinical trials these vaccines have been shown to be well tolerated and immunogenic. For example, the attenuated S. enterica var. Typhi strains CVD 908-htrA (aroC aroD htrA), Ty800 (phoP phoQ) and chi4073 (cya crp cdt) are all promising candidate typhoid vaccines. In addition, clinical trials have demonstrated that S. enterica var. Typhi vaccines expressing heterologous antigens, such as the tetanus toxin fragment C, can induce immunity to the expressed antigens in human volunteers. In many cases, the problems associated with expression of antigens in Salmonella have been successfully addressed and the future of Salmonella vaccine development is very promising.

Implications of Salmonella-induced nitric oxide (NO) for host defense and vaccines: NO, an antimicrobial, antitumor, immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory molecule

Attenuated Salmonella induce immunosuppressive, microbicidal and tumoricidal macrophages in mice. All three effects are mediated by activated macrophages producing nitric oxide (NO). NO is induced by the innate immune response pathway involving IL-12, NK cells and IFN-gamma in response to infection. NO has beneficial and detrimental effects on the host.

Typhoid vaccines

Typhoid fever continues to be a major public health problem in developing countries with about 33 million cases per year. Protective efficacy of traditional acetone/phenol killed vaccines is similar to newer typhoid vaccines (Ty21A and Vi antigen vaccine) but side effects of these newer vaccines are considerably less. Though the mortality is low, typhoid fever causes considerable morbidity and loss of working days. Problems during treatment are increasing due to emergence and spread of multidrug resistant S. typhi. Hence to decrease the incidence of typhoid fever in addition to ensuring safe water supply and excreta disposal a typhoid vaccine needs to be introduced in the National Immunization Schedule.

Construction, genotypic and phenotypic characterization, and immunogenicity of attenuated DeltaguaBA Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain CVD 915

A promising live attenuated typhoid vaccine candidate strain for mucosal immunization was developed by introducing a deletion in the guaBA locus of pathogenic Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain Ty2. The resultant DeltaguaBA mutant, serovar Typhi CVD 915, has a gene encoding resistance to arsenite replacing the deleted sequence within guaBA, thereby providing a marker to readily identify the vaccine strain. CVD 915 was compared in in vitro and in vivo assays with wild-type strain Ty2, licensed live oral typhoid vaccine strain Ty21a, or attenuated serovar Typhi vaccine strain CVD 908-htrA (harboring mutations in aroC, aroD, and htrA). CVD 915 was less invasive than CVD 908-htrA in tissue culture and was more crippled in its ability to proliferate after invasion. In mice inoculated intraperitoneally with serovar Typhi and hog gastric mucin (to estimate the relative degree of attenuation), the 50% lethal dose of CVD 915 (7.7 x 10(7) CFU) was significantly higher than that of wild-type Ty2 (1.4 x 10(2) CFU) and was only slightly lower than that of Ty21a (1.9 x 10(8) CFU). Strong serum O and H antibody responses were recorded in mice inoculated intranasally with CVD 915, which were higher than those elicited by Ty21a and similar to those stimulated by CVD 908-htrA. CVD 915 also elicited potent proliferative responses in splenocytes from immunized mice stimulated with serovar Typhi antigens. Used as a live vector, CVD 915(pTETlpp) elicited high titers of serum immunoglobulin G anti-fragment C. These encouraging preclinical data pave the way for phase 1 clinical trials with CVD 915.

Epithelial M cells: differentiation and function

M cells are distinctive epithelial cells that occur only in the follicle-associated epithelia that overlie organized mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues. They are structurally and functionally specialized for transepithelial transport, delivering foreign antigens and microorganisms to organized lymphoid tissues within the mucosae of the small and large intestines, tonsils and adenoids, and airways. M cell transport is a double-edged sword: Certain pathogens exploit the features of M cells that are intended to promote uptake for the purpose of immunological sampling. Eludication of the molecular architecture of M cell apical surfaces is important for understanding the strategies that pathogens use to exploit this pathway and for utilizing M cell transport for delivery of vaccines to the mucosal immune system. This article reviews the functional and biochemical features that distinguish M cells from other intestinal cell types. In addition it synthesizes the available information on development and differentiation of organized lymphoid tissues and the specialized epithelium associated with these immune inductive sites.

Salmonella: immune responses and vaccines

Salmonella infections are a serious medical and veterinary problem world-wide and cause concern in the food industry. Vaccination is an effective tool for the prevention of Salmonella infections. Host resistance to Salmonella relies initially on the production of inflammatory cytokines leading to the infiltration of activated inflammatory cells in the tissues. Thereafter T- and B-cell dependent specific immunity develops allowing the clearance of Salmonella microorganisms from the tissues and the establishment of long-lasting acquired immunity to re-infection. The increased resistance that develops after primary infection/ vaccination requires T-cells cytokines such as IFNgamma TNFalpha and IL12 in addition to opsonising antibody. However for reasons that are not fully understood seroconversion and/or the presence of detectable T-cell memory do not always correlate with the development of acquired resistance to infection.Whole-cell killed vaccines and subunit vaccines are used in the prevention of Salmonella infection in animals and in humans with variable results. A number of early live Salmonella vaccines derived empirically by chemical or u.v. mutagenesis proved to be immunogenic and protective and are still in use despite the need for repeated parenteral administration. Recent progress in the knowledge of the genetics of Salmonella virulence and modern recombinant DNA technology offers the possibility to introduce multiple defined attenuating and irreversible mutations into the bacterial genome. This has recently allowed the development of Salmonella strains devoid of significant side effects but still capable of inducing solid immunity after single oral administration. Live attenuated Salmonella vaccines have been used for the expression of heterologous antigens/proteins that can be successfully delivered to the immune system. Furthermore Salmonella can transfer plasmids encoding foreign antigens under the control of eukaryotic promoters (DNA vaccines) to antigen-presenting cells resulting in targeted delivery of DNA vaccines to these cells. Despite the great recent advances in the development of Salmonella vaccines a large proportion of the work has been conducted in laboratory rodents and more research in other animal species is required.

Safety and immune responses to attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar typhi oral live vector vaccines expressing tetanus toxin fragment C

Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccine strain CVD 908-htrA was used as a vector to deliver fragment C of tetanus toxin as a single-dose oral tetanus vaccine candidate to elicit protective levels of serum tetanus antitoxin. Twenty-one healthy adult volunteers received doses of 1.6 x 10(7) to 8.2 x 10(9) CFU of one of two strains, CVD 908-htrA(pTETnir15) or CVD 908-htrA(pTETlpp), which contained plasmid-encoded fragment C, with sodium bicarbonate, and the safety and immune responses to serovar Typhi antigens and tetanus toxin were assessed. No volunteer had fever or positive blood cultures after vaccination, although diarrhea occurred in 3 volunteers and vomiting in 2 volunteers within 3 weeks after vaccination. Most volunteers excreted the vaccine strain in the first 72 h after vaccination. Three of nine volunteers who received 10(8) CFU or higher doses of the CVD 908-htrA(pTETlpp) construct developed rises in serum antitoxin antibodies. The serum and cellular immune responses to serovar Typhi antigens were less frequent than those previously observed in volunteers who ingested the parent strain CVD 908-htrA. This study demonstrates that fragment C of tetanus toxin delivered orally to volunteers in an S. Typhi vector can elicit protective levels of serum antitoxin.

Susceptibility of calves to challenge with Salmonella typhimurium 4/74 and derivatives harbouring mutations in htrA or purE

Salmonella typhimurium 4/74 is highly virulent for cattle after oral challenge, causing severe diarrhoea, which is sometimes associated with systemic spread of the micro-organism. Although susceptible to oral challenge, groups of cattle were found to be relatively resistant to subcutaneous challenge with this strain. The virulence of S. typhimurium 4/74 harbouring mutations in htrA and purE was also assessed in cattle. Although S. typhimurium 4/74 htrA and purE are attenuated following oral challenge in mice, cattle were highly susceptible to oral challenge with these mutants. As with the parent S. typhimurium 4/74 strain, cattle exhibited greater susceptibility to oral compared to subcutaneous challenge with S. typhimurium htrA and purE mutants. Following subcutaneous challenge with sublethal levels of S. typhimurium 4/74, calves produced significant levels of antibodies to S. typhimurium soluble extract. No correlation was detected between interferon gamma levels in sera and susceptibility to infection by any route. The concentrations of the acute-phase-associated protein haptoglobin were increased in the sera of five of six cattle inoculated subcutaneously, although increases in concentration were smaller in cattle inoculated orally.

In vivo correction of genetic defects of monocyte/macrophages using attenuated Salmonella as oral vectors for targeted gene delivery

Macrophages are normal targets for Salmonella during natural infections, and it has been demonstrated that attenuated bacteria can deliver nucleic acid vaccine constructs. Therefore, we assessed if attenuated Salmonella can be used for the in vivo delivery of transgenes to their natural cellular target, in an attempt to correct genetic defects associated with monocytes/macrophages. This system would offer the distinct advantage of achieving a specific targeting of defective cells in a non-invasive form. Using a reporter gene, we demonstrated that attenuated Salmonella could be used as an effective in vitro delivery system to transfer genetic material into nondividing cells like murine macrophages. In vivo, the oral administration of attenuated Salmonella allows targeted delivery of transgenes to macrophages and subsequently expression of transgenes at a systemic level. IFNgamma-deficient mice (GKO) were thus selected as a model for the in vivo validation of the Salmonella-based delivery approach. Attenuated Salmonella, used as the carrier for a eukaryotic expression vector encoding the murine IFNgamma gene, was able to restore the production of this cytokine in GKO macrophages. Their oral administration to IFNgamma-deficient mice also re-established, in these immunocompromised animals, the natural resistance to bacterial infections. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that attenuated Salmonella can be successfully used in vivo as a DNA delivery system for the correction of a genetic defect associated with monocyte/macrophages.

Construction and immunogenicity in mice of attenuated Salmonella typhi expressing Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1) fused to tetanus toxin fragment C

One strategy to develop a multi-antigen malaria vaccine is to employ live vectors to carry putative protective Plasmodium falciparum antigens to the immune system. The 19 kDa carboxyl terminus of P. falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1), which is essential for erythrocyte invasion and is a leading antigen for inclusion in a multivalent malaria vaccine, was genetically fused to fragment C of tetanus toxin and expressed within attenuated Salmonella typhi CVD 908. Under conditions in the bacterial cytoplasm, the fragment C-MSP-1 fusion did not form the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains of MSP-1; monoclonal antibodies failed to recognize these conformational domains in immunoblots of non-denatured protein extracted from live vector sonicates. The MSP-1 was nevertheless immunogenic. One month following intranasal immunization of BALB/c mice with the live vector construct, four out of five mice exhibited > or =four-fold rises in anti-MSP-1 by ELISA (GMT=211); a single intranasal booster raised titers further (GMT=1280). Post-immunization sera recognized native MSP-1 on merozoites as determined by indirect immunofluorescence. These data encourage efforts to optimize MSP-1 expression in S. typhi (e.g. as a secreted protein), so that the EGF-like epitopes, presumably necessary for stimulating protective antibodies, can form.

Host factors that influence the behaviour of bacterial pathogens in vivo

Interest is increasing in how bacteria behave and produce virulence determinants within the infected host. There are three aspects of this process; observations on the bacteria themselves, recognition of host factors that affect them and investigation of metabolic interactions between the two. The first aspect is relatively easy to investigate and attracts much interest. The second and third are difficult to work on and hence understudied. The review aims to stimulate interest in them by indicating methods of investigation and describing some successful studies. After discussing host factors that determine growth in vivo consideration is given to factors that influence the production of the determinants of mucosal colonization, penetration, interference with host defence and damage to the host. The final section deals with the influence of host-derived cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid and lactate on the pathogenicity of gonococci, meningococci and Haemophilus influenzae.

Questions about the behaviour of bacterial pathogens in vivo

Bacterial pathogens cause disease in man and animals. They have unique biological properties, which enable them to colonize mucous surfaces, penetrate them, grow in the environment of the host, inhibit or avoid host defences and damage the host. The bacterial products responsible for these five biological requirements are the determinants of pathogenicity (virulence determinants). Current knowledge comes from studies in vitro, but now interest is increasing in how bacteria behave and produce virulence determinants within the infected host. There are three aspects to elucidate: bacterial activities, the host factors that affect them and the metabolic interactions between the two. The first is relatively easy to accomplish and, recently, new methods for doing this have been devised. The second is not easy because of the complexity of the environment in vivo and its ever-changing face. Nevertheless, some information can be gained from the literature and by new methodology. The third aspect is very difficult to study effectively unless some events in vivo can be simulated in vitro. The objectives of the Discussion Meeting were to describe the new methods and to show how they, and conventional studies, are revealing the activities of bacterial pathogens in vivo. This paper sets the scene by raising some questions and suggesting, with examples, how they might be answered. Bacterial growth in vivo is the primary requirement for pathogenicity. Without growth, determinants of the other four requirements are not formed. Results from the new methods are underlining this point. The important questions are as follows. What is the pattern of a developing infection and the growth rates and population sizes of the bacteria at different stages? What nutrients are present in vivo and how do they change as infection progresses and relate to growth rates and population sizes? How are these nutrients metabolized and by what bacterial mechanisms? Which bacterial processes handle nutrient deficiencies and antagonistic conditions that may arise? Conventional and new methods can answer the first question and part of the second; examples are described. The difficulties of trying to answer the last two are discussed. Turning to production in vivo of determinants of mucosal colonization, penetration, interference with host defence and damage to the host, here are the crucial questions. Are putative determinants, which have been recognized by studies in vitro, produced in vivo and are they relevant to virulence? Can hitherto unknown virulence determinants be recognized by examining bacteria grown in vivo? Does the complement of virulence determinants change as infection proceeds? Are regulatory processes recognized in vitro, such as ToxR/ToxS, PhoP/PhoQ, quorum sensing and type III secretion, operative in vivo? What environmental factors affect virulence determinant production in vivo and by what metabolic processes? Examples indicate that the answers to the first four questions are 'yes' in most but not all cases. Attempts to answer the last, and most difficult, question are also described. Finally, sialylation of the lipopolysaccharide of gonococci in vivo by host-derived cytidine 5'-mono-phospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid, and the effect of host lactate are described. This investigation revealed a new bacterial component important in pathogenicity, the host factors responsible for its production and the metabolism involved.

Development of a nonantibiotic dominant marker for positively selecting expression plasmids in multivalent Salmonella vaccines

We report the novel application of a herbicide-resistance-based dominant marker for the positive selection of expression plasmids in Salmonella serovar vaccines. The beta-lactamase gene of the plasmid pTETnir15, which expresses fragment C of tetanus toxin (TetC), has been replaced with the bar gene marker. The new plasmid pBAT1 can be positively selected in vitro within Salmonella serovars in the presence of the herbicide DL-phosphinothricin. The expression of TetC remains unaltered, and the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine strain is stable and immunogenic in vivo.

Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium surA mutants are attenuated and effective live oral vaccines

A previously described attenuated TnphoA mutant (BRD441) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium C5 (I. Miller, D. Maskell, C. Hormaeche, K. Johnson, D. Pickard, and G. Dougan, Infect. Immun. 57:2758-2763, 1989) was characterized, and the transposon was shown to be inserted in surA, a gene which encodes a peptidylprolyl-cis, trans-isomerase. A defined surA deletion mutation was introduced into S. enterica serovar Typhimurium C5 and the mutant strain, named S. enterica serovar Typhimurium BRD1115, was extensively characterized both in vitro and in vivo. S. enterica serovar Typhimurium BRD1115 was found to be defective in the ability to adhere to and invade eukaryotic cells. Furthermore, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium BRD1115 was attenuated by at least 3 log units when administered orally or intravenously to BALB/c mice. Complementation of the mutation with a plasmid carrying the intact surA gene almost completely restored the virulence of BRD1115. In addition, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium BRD1115 demonstrated potential as a vaccine candidate, since mice immunized with BRD1115 were protected against subsequent challenge with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium C5. S. enterica serovar Typhimurium BRD1115 also showed potential as a vehicle for the effective delivery of heterologous antigens, such as the nontoxic, protective fragment C domain of tetanus toxin, to the murine immune system.

Phase 2 clinical trial of attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar typhi oral live vector vaccine CVD 908-htrA in U.S. volunteers

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain CVD 908-htrA is a live attenuated strain which may be useful as an improved oral typhoid vaccine and as a vector for cloned genes of other pathogens. We conducted a phase 2 trial in which 80 healthy adults received one of two dosage levels of CVD 908-htrA in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. There were no differences in the rates of side effects among volunteers who received high-dose vaccine (4.5 x 10(8) CFU), lower-dose vaccine (5 x 10(7) CFU), or placebo in the 21 days after vaccination, although recipients of high-dose vaccine (8%) had more frequent diarrhea than placebo recipients (0%) in the first 7 days. Seventy-seven percent and 46% of recipients of high- and lower-dose vaccines, respectively, briefly excreted vaccine organisms in their stools. All blood cultures were negative. Antibody-secreting cells producing antilipopolysaccharide (LPS) immunoglobulin A (IgA) were detected in 100 and 92% of recipients of high- and lower-dose vaccines, respectively. Almost half the volunteers developed serum anti-LPS IgG. Lymphocyte proliferation and gamma interferon production against serovar Typhi antigens occurred in a significant proportion of vaccinees. This phase 2 study supports the further development of CVD 908-htrA as a single-dose vaccine against typhoid fever and as a possible live vector for oral delivery of other vaccine antigens.

Live attenuated Salmonella: a paradigm of mucosal vaccines

Two key steps control immune responses in mucosal tissues: the sampling and transepithelial transport of antigens, and their targeting into professional antigen-presenting cells in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Live Salmonella bacteria use strategies that allow them to cross the epithelial barrier of the gut, to survive in antigen-presenting cells where bacterial antigens are processed and presented to the immune cells, and to express adjuvant activity that prevents induction of oral tolerance. Two Salmonella serovars have been used as vaccines or vectors, S. typhimurium in mice and S. typhi in humans. S. typhimurium causes gastroenteritis in a broad host range, including humans, while S. typhi infection is restricted to humans. Attenuated S. typhimurium has been used successfully in mice to induce systemic and mucosal responses against more than 60 heterologous antigens. This review aims to revisit S. typhimurium-based vaccination, as an alternative to S. typhi, with special emphasis on the molecular pathogenesis of S. typhimurium and the host response. We then discuss how such knowledge constitutes the basis for the rational design of novel live mucosal vaccines.

Impaired antibody response after immunization of HIV-infected individuals with the polysaccharide vaccine against Salmonella typhi (Typhim-Vi)

Infections with Salmonella species, including Salmonella typhi, are more frequently observed in HIV-infected individuals than in healthy individuals. HIV-infected individuals were vaccinated with polysaccharide vaccine against Salmonella typhi (Typhim-Vi) which is assumed to be a T-cell-independent antigen. We found that the antibody response in patients with < 200 x 10(6)/l CD4+ T lymphocytes was significantly lower compared with patients with > or = 200 x 10(6)/l CD4+ T lymphocytes and healthy controls. The antibody response after vaccination with the polysaccharide salmonella Vi-antigen was correlated with the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes and therefore Typhim-Vi can be considered to be a T-cell-independent type 2 antigen. The results of this study indicate that after vaccination the proportion of HIV-infected individuals with protective antibody concentrations against Salmonella typhi will be lower than in healthy controls.

Mice are protected from Helicobacter pylori infection by nasal immunization with attenuated Salmonella typhimurium phoPc expressing urease A and B subunits

Live Salmonella typhimurium phoPc bacteria were tested as mucosal vaccine vectors to deliver Helicobacter pylori antigens. The genes encoding the A and B subunits of H. pylori urease were introduced into S. typhimurium phoPc and expressed under the control of a constitutive tac promoter (tac-ureAB) or a two-phase T7 expression system (cT7-ureAB). Both recombinant Salmonella strains expressed the two urease subunits in vitro and were used to nasally immunize BALB/c mice. The plasmid carrying cT7-ureAB was stably inherited by bacteria growing or persisting in the spleen, lungs, mesenteric or cervical lymph nodes, and Peyer's patches of immunized mice, while the plasmid carrying tac-ureAB was rapidly lost. Spleen and Peyer's patch CD4+ lymphocytes from mice immunized with S. typhimurium phopc cT7-ureAB proliferated in vitro in response to urease, whereas cells from mice given S. typhimurium phoPc alone did not. Splenic CD4+ cells from mice immunized with phoPc cT7-ureAB secreted gamma interferon and interleukin 10, while Peyer's patch CD4+ cells did not secrete either cytokine. Specific H. pylori anti-urease immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2A antibodies were detected following immunization, confirming that both Th1- and Th2-type immune responses were generated by the live vaccine. Sixty percent of the mice (9 of 15) immunized with S. typhimurium phoPc cT7-ureAB were found to be resistant to infection by H. pylori, while all mice immunized with phoPc tac-ureAB (15 of 15) or phoPc (15 of 15) were infected. Our data demonstrate that H. pylori urease delivered nasally by using a vaccine strain of S. typhimurium can trigger Th1- and Th2-type responses and induce protective immunity against Helicobacter infection.

Cloning and characterisation of the aroA and aroD genes of Shigella dysenteriae type 1

The aroA and aroD genes from Shigella dysenteriae type 1, encoding 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase and 3-dehydroquinase, respectively, were cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Their nucleotide sequences were determined and predicted to code for 46 kDa and 27.5 kDa proteins, respectively. Protein expressed from these genes using the minicell system, corresponded to the size of the predicted protein products. The cloned genes were shown to be functional by complementation of Escherichia coli aroA- and aroD- mutants. The predicted amino acid sequences of the cloned aroA (427 amino acids) and aroD (252 amino acids) genes of S. dysenteriae type 1 were found to be highly homologous to the corresponding genes in other bacterial species, indicating the high conservation of these housekeeping genes. The use of the cloned aroA and aroD genes in the development of a vaccine strain against S. dysenteriae is discussed.

Attenuation and vaccine potential of aroQ mutants of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a gram-positive intracellular bacterial pathogen, is the etiological agent of the disease caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in both sheep and goats. Attenuated mutants of C. pseudotuberculosis have the potential to act as novel live veterinary vaccine vectors. We have cloned and sequenced the aroB and aroQ genes from C. pseudotuberculosis C231. By allelic exchange, aroQ mutants of both C231, designated CS100, and a pld mutant strain TB521, designated CS200, were constructed. Infection of BALB/c mice indicated that introduction of the aroQ mutation into C231 and TB521 attenuated both strains. In sublethally infected BALB/c mice, both CS100 and CS200 were cleared from spleens and livers by day 8 postinfection. The in vivo persistence of these strains was increased when the intact aroQ gene was supplied on a plasmid in trans. Mice infected with TB521 harbored bacteria in organs at least till day 8 postinfection without ill effect. When used as a vaccine, only the maximum tolerated dose of CS100 had the capacity to protect mice from homologous challenge. Vaccination with TB521 also elicited protective immunity, and this was associated with gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production from splenocytes stimulated 7 days postvaccination. The role of IFN-gamma in controlling primary infections with C. pseudotuberculosis was examined in mice deficient for the IFN-gamma receptor (IFN-gammaR(-/-) mice). IFN-gammaR(-/-) mice cleared an infection with CS100 but were significantly more susceptible than control littermates to infection with C231 or TB521. These studies support an important role for IFN-gamma in control of primary C. pseudotuberculosis infections and indicate that aroQ mutants remain attenuated even in immunocompromised animals. This is the first report of an aroQ mutant of a bacterial pathogen, and the results may have implications for the construction of aromatic mutants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for use as vaccines.

Safety and immunogenicity in humans of an attenuated Salmonella typhi vaccine vector strain expressing plasmid-encoded hepatitis B antigens stabilized by the Asd-balanced lethal vector system

Attenuated Salmonella typhi organisms which express genes encoding protective antigens of other pathogens have been developed for use as experimental oral vaccines. A delta asd S. typhi strain attenuated by deletions in cya, crp, and cdt which contains hepatitis B core (HBc) and pre-S genes encoded on an Asd+ pBR-based plasmid vector was constructed. Healthy adult volunteers ingested a single dose of 5 x 10(5) to 5 x 10(8) CFU of strain chi4073 (delta cya delta crp delta cdt S. typhi Ty2), 6 x 10(7) or 1 x 10(9) CFU of strain chi4632(pYA3149), a further derivative of chi4073 deleted in asd and containing the Asd+ vector without the HBc-pre-S fusion, or 3 x 10(7) or 7 x 10(8) CFU of strain X4632(pYA3167), a derivative containing the vector with the HBc-pre-S fusion. Chi4073 was generally well tolerated by 22 volunteers. No volunteer had fever or positive blood cultures; 4 of 22 volunteers shed vaccine organisms in the stool in the first 48 h only. Two of 18 volunteers who received one of the plasmid-containing derivatives of chi4073 developed low-grade fevers on day 10 or 12 after ingestion. One of these volunteers had positive blood cultures on days 7 and 8. Seven of these 18 volunteers had vaccine organisms detected in their stools in the first 48 h only. Most volunteers developed S. typhi-specific serum responses and developed S. typhi-specific antibody-secreting cells. However, no volunteer developed serum antibody to hepatitis pre-S or pre-S-specific antibody-secreting cells. Although the parent strain chi4073 was well tolerated, induced immunoglobulin G seroconversion to S. typhi lipopolysaccharide in 80 to 100% of vaccinees and stimulated specific IgA-secreting lymphocytes in 80 to 100% of vaccinees given a single oral dose of 2 x 10(7) and 5 x 10(8) CFU, chi4073 derivatives containing the Asd+ vector with and without sequences encoding the HBc-pre-S fusion caused occasional febrile reactions at high doses and did not stimulate detectable immune responses to hepatitis B antigens.

Safety of live oral Salmonella typhi vaccine strains with deletions in htrA and aroC aroD and immune response in humans

A single-dose, oral Salmonella typhi vaccine strain has been sought as a carrier or vector of cloned genes encoding protective antigens of other pathogens. Such a hybrid vaccine, administered orally, would stimulate immune responses both at the mucosal surface and in the systemic compartment and would potentially provide protection against multiple pathogens. S. typhi CVD 908 and CVD 906, which harbor deletions in aroC and aroD, were further engineered by deletion in htrA to produce strains CVD 908-htrA and CVD 906-htrA, which are unable to sustain growth and are severely impaired in their ability to survive in host tissues. These strains were fed to humans at doses of 5 x 10(7) to 5 x 10(9) CFU with buffer, and safety and immune responses were assessed. CVD 908-htrA and CVD 906-htrA were well tolerated in volunteers; mild diarrhea in 3 of 36 volunteers and mild fever in 1 volunteer were the only notable adverse responses. The vaccine strains were not detected in blood cultures and only transiently detected in stool. Serum immune responses to S. typhi lipopolysaccharide and H antigens were observed in 75 to 100% of volunteers who received 5 x 10(8) to 5 x 10(9) CFU, and cells secreting S. typhi-specific antibodies were found in all volunteers after ingestion of either strain. Sixty-three percent to 83% of volunteers developed lymphoproliferative responses to S. typhi flagellar and particulate antigens after the higher doses. These studies demonstrate the potential of CVD 908-htrA as a live vector for the delivery of heterologous genes, and a clinical trial of such a construct is planned.

Oral and rectal immunization of adult female volunteers with a recombinant attenuated Salmonella typhi vaccine strain

An attenuated strain of Salmonella typhi delta(cya) delta(crp-cdt) delta(asd) expressing a gene encoding a hepatitis B virus core-pre-S protein was tested in female adult volunteers for its ability to elicit a systemic and a mucosal immune response. Specifically, our purpose was to evaluate the potential of such a vaccine strain to induce specific secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) at genital and rectal surfaces. Oral and rectal routes of immunization were compared: oral immunization induced seroconversion against the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in six out of seven volunteers, while after rectal immunization only one out of six volunteers seroconverted against LPS. To our disappointment, the latter volunteer was also the only one who seroconverted against the carried antigen (pre-S1), demonstrating the poor ability of this live vaccine to induce an immune response against the carried antigen. Anti-LPS sIgA was found in both the vaginal and cervical secretions of a volunteer who presented a strong seroconversion after oral immunization (16-fold increase in anti-LPS IgG). Smaller amounts of anti-LPS sIgA were found in the rectal secretions of one orally and one rectally immunized volunteer and in the saliva of three orally and one rectally immunized woman. Our data show for the first time that it is possible to induce specific sIgA in the genital and rectal tracts of women by using an S. typhi vaccine strain.

Human cell-mediated immune responses to antigenic fractions of Salmonella typhi

The proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 10 subjects that had typhoid fever, and healthy volunteers without history of typhoid fever or immunization against disease, were analysed with antigen fractions from two protein extracts of Salmonella typhi. Fractions from each extract were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose filters by electroblotting and processed to obtain antigen-bearing nitrocellulose particles for use in lymphocyte cultures. Although the individual proliferative responses were heterogeneous we identified two main immunogenic regions of 29-32 10(3) MW and 45-56 x 10(3) MW for both extracts. Even though there was no one particular antigenic fraction capable of stimulating lymphocytes from all individuals with a previous history of typhoid fever, the combination of three fractions 29-32, 41-45, 63-71 x 10(3) MW could be stimulatory for cells of 90% of these individuals. Also, four subjects that did not respond to unfractionated antigens gave proliferative responses to several fractions of the same extract. We have identified the main immunogenic fractions of S. typhi that might play a role during typhoid infection and postinfection immunity, and merit further purification and characterization.