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Vaginal Immunization with Recombinant Gram‐Positive Bacteria
Author(s) -
Medaglini Donata,
Oggioni Marco R.,
Pozzi Gianni
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1998.tb00354.x
Subject(s) - streptococcus gordonii , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immune system , vagina , antigen , recombinant dna , virology , immunization , bacteria , immunology , pathogen , streptococcaceae , antibiotics , genetics , gene , biochemistry
PROBLEM: Many viral and bacterial pathogens enter the body through the genital mucosa. Therefore, one of the major goals of a vaccine against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should be to induce an immune response in the genital mucosa capable of controlling the entry of the pathogen. Our approach for the development of vaccines against STDs is based on the use of nonpathogenic Gram‐positive bacteria as live vaccine vectors. METHOD OF STUDY: Recombinant Gram‐positive bacteria expressing vaccine antigens were constructed using genetic systems developed in our laboratory. Balb/c mice and Cynomolgus monkeys were inoculated by the vaginal route and vaginal samples were collected using absorbent wicks. Colonization was evaluated by the presence of recombinant bacteria in the vaginal samples. Local and systemic immune responses were studied. RESULTS: We have developed genetic systems for the expression of heterologous antigens on the surface of the human commensals Streptococcus gordonii and Lactobacillus spp. Both S. gordonii and L. casei stably colonized the murine vagina after a single inoculum. Vaginal colonization of mice with recombinant strains of S. gordonii , expressing human papillomavirus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens, induced antigen‐specific vaginal immunoglobulin A (IgA) and serum IgG. Local and systemic immune responses also were detected in monkeys immunized intravaginally with recombinant S. gordonii. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicated that the approach of using colonizing Gram‐positive bacteria as live vectors has a great potential for the development of vaccines against STDs.