Open AccessYopE specific CD8+ T cells provide protection against systemic and mucosal Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection
Author(s) -
Norberto González-Juarbe,
Haiqian Shen,
Molly A. Bergman,
Carlos J. Orihuela,
Peter H. Dube
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0172314
Subject(s) - yersinia pseudotuberculosis , yersiniosis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , virulence , cd8 , cytotoxic t cell , virology , immunology , antigen , enterobacteriaceae , biochemistry , escherichia coli , gene , in vitro
Prior studies indicated that CD8 + T cells responding to a surrogate single antigen expressed by Y . pseudotuberculosis , ovalbumin, were insufficient to protect against yersiniosis. Herein we tested the hypothesis that CD8 + T cells reactive to the natural Yersinia antigen YopE would be more effective at providing mucosal protection. We first confirmed that immunization with the attenuated ksgA - strain of Y . pseudotuberculosis generated YopE-specific CD8 + T cells. These T cells were protective against challenge with virulent Listeria monocytogenes expressing secreted YopE. Mice immunized with an attenuated L . monocytogenes YopE + strain generated large numbers of functional YopE-specific CD8 + T cells, and initially controlled a systemic challenge with virulent Y . pseudotuberculosis , yet eventually succumbed to yersiniosis. Mice vaccinated with a YopE peptide and cholera toxin vaccine generated robust T cell responses, providing protection to 60% of the mice challenged mucosally but failed to show complete protection against systemic infection with virulent Y . pseudotuberculosis . These studies demonstrate that vaccination with recombinant YopE vaccines can generate YopE-specific CD8 + T cells, that can provide significant mucosal protection but these cells are insufficient to provide sterilizing immunity against systemic Y . pseudotuberculosis infection. Our studies have implications for Yersinia vaccine development studies.