Lactobacillus plantarum producing a Chlamydia trachomatis antigen induces a specific IgA response after mucosal booster immunization

Abstract

Mucosal immunity is important for the protection against a wide variety of pathogens. Traditional vaccines administered via parenteral routes induce strong systemic immunity, but they often fail to generate mucosal IgA. In contrast, bacteria-based vaccines comprise an appealing strategy for antigen delivery to mucosal sites. Vaginal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can develop into upper genital tract infections that can lead to infertility. Therefore, the development of an effective vaccine against Chlamydia is a high priority. In the present study, we have explored the use of a common lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum, as a vector for delivery of a C. trachomatis antigen to mucosal sites. The antigen, referred as Hirep2 (H2), was anchored to the surface of L. plantarum cells using an N-terminal lipoprotein anchor. After characterization, the constructed strain was used as an immunogenic agent in mice. We explored a heterologous prime-boost strategy, consisting of subcutaneous priming with soluble H2 antigen co-administered with CAF01 adjuvant, followed by an intranasal boost with H2-displaying L. plantarum. The results show that, when used as a booster, the recombinant L. plantarum strain was able to evoke cellular responses. Most importantly, booster immunization with the Lactobacillus-based vaccine induced generation of antigen-specific IgA in the vaginal cavity.

Dual-Isotope SPECT/CT Imaging of the Tuberculosis Subunit Vaccine H56/CAF01: Induction of Strong Systemic and Mucosal IgA and T-Cell Responses in Mice Upon Subcutaneous Prime and Intrapulmonary Boost Immunization

“…However, the maintenance of an IFN-γ + TNF-α + double positive T-cell population has been associated with enhanced control of mycobacterial growth ( 56 , 57 ). Similarly, parenteral prime and mucosal boost immunization were shown to induce strong mucosal and systemic immunity ( 16 , 63 , 64 ), accompanied by improved protection in a number of preclinical infectious disease models ( 65 – 67 ). Intranasal boosting of parenterally primed immune responses was associated with improved protection against Mtb infection, which correlated with IFN-γ + CD4 + and CD8 + T cells residing in the airway lumen of the lungs ( 68 ).…”

Inactivated Lactobacillus plantarum Carrying a Surface-Displayed Ag85B-ESAT-6 Fusion Antigen as a Booster Vaccine Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

“…The expression of recombinant protein was induced and bacterial cells were harvested 3 h after induction as described elsewhere (25, 43). Recombinant bacteria were inactivated by UV-irradiation for 1 h and the successful inactivation was confirmed.…”

CRISPR Interference for Rapid Knockdown of Essential Cell Cycle Genes inLactobacillus plantarum

“…Furthermore, extensive research has been performed in recent decades in investigations of LAB, including L. plantarum, as live delivery vehicles for therapeutic molecules such as antigens, cytokines, and antibodies (8–11). Given the importance and the potential new applications of L.…”