Open AccessImmunological Response to Parenteral Vaccination with Recombinant Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Virus-Like Particles Expressing Helicobacter pylori KatA Epitopes in a Murine H. pylori Challenge Model
Author(s) -
Michael Kotiw,
Micah A. Johnson,
Manisha Pandey,
Scott Fry,
Stuart L. Hazell,
Hans Jürgen Netter,
Michael F. Good,
Colleen Olive
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical and vaccine immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.649
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1556-6811
pISSN - 1556-679X
DOI - 10.1128/cvi.05295-11
Subject(s) - hbsag , virology , helicobacter pylori , antigen , hepatitis b virus , titer , antibody , epitope , virus , immunization , vaccination , antibody titer , virus like particle , biology , recombinant dna , immunology , gene , biochemistry , genetics
Virus-like particles (VLPs) based on the small envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg-S) are immunogenic at the B- and T-cell level. In this study, we inserted overlapping sequences encoding the carboxy terminus of the Helicobacter pylori katA gene product into HBsAg-S. The HBsAg-S-KatA fusion proteins were able to assemble into secretion-competent VLPs (VLP-KatA). The VLP-KatA proteins were able to induce KatA-specific antibodies in immunized mice. The mean total IgG antibody titers 41 days post-primary immunization with VLP-KatA (2.3 × 10(3)) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those observed for vaccination with VLP alone (5.2 × 10(2)). Measurement of IgG isotypes revealed responses to both IgG1 and IgG2a (mean titers, 9.0 × 10(4) and 2.6 × 10(4), respectively), with the IgG2a response to vaccination with VLP-KatA being significantly higher than that for mice immunized with KatA alone (P < 0.05). Following challenge of mice with H. pylori, a significantly reduced bacterial load in the gastric mucosa was observed (P < 0.05). This is the first report describing the use of VLPs as a delivery vehicle for H. pylori antigens.