Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection offered by a new multistage subunit vaccine correlates with increased number of IFN-γ+IL-2+ CD4+and IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells

Xiaochun Wang, Jingyan Zhang, Jinping Liang, Ying Zhang, Xindong Teng, Xuefeng Yuan, Xionglin Fan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Protein subunit vaccines present a compelling new area of research for control of tuberculosis (TB). Based on the interaction between Mycobacteriumtuberculosis and its host, five stagespecific antigens of M. tuberculosis that participate in TB pathogenesis-Rv1813, Rv2660c, Ag85B, Rv2623, and HspX-were selected. These antigens were verified to be recognized by T cells from a total of 42 whole blood samples obtained from active TB patients, patients with latent TB infections (LTBIs), and healthy control donors. Themultistage polyprotein A1D4 was developed using the selected five antigens as a potentially more effective novel subunit vaccine. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of A1D4 emulsified in the adjuvantMTO [monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), trehalose-6,6' -dibehenate (TDB), components of MF59] was compared with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in C57BL/6 mice. Our results demonstrated that A1D4/MTO could provide more significant protection against M. tuberculosis infection than the PBS control orMTO adjuvant alone judging from the A1D4-specific Th1-type immune response; however, its efficacy was inferior to BCG as demonstrated by the bacterial load in the lung and spleen, and by the pathological changes in the lung. Antigen-specific single IL-2-secreting cells and different combinations with IL-2-secreting CD4+ T cells were beneficial and correlated with BCG vaccine-induced protection against TB. Antigen-specific IFN-γ+IL-2+ CD4+ T cells were the only effective biomarker significantly induced by A1D4/MTO. Among all groups, A1D4/MTO immunization also conferred the highest number of antigen-specific single IFN-γ+ and IFN-γ+TNF-α+ CD4+ T cells, which might be related to the antigen load in vivo, and single IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells by mimicking the immune patterns of LTBIs or curable TB patients. Our strategy seems promising for the development of a TB vaccine based on multistage antigens, and subunit antigen A1D4 suspended in MTO adjuvant warrants preclinical evaluation in animal models of latent infection and may boost BCG vaccination.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere0122560
JournalPloS one
Volume10
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 30 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection offered by a new multistage subunit vaccine correlates with increased number of IFN-γ+IL-2+ CD4+and IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this