A cocktail of Mycobacterium bovis BCG recombinants expressing the SIV Nef,Env, and Gag antigens induces antibody and cytotoxic responses in mice vaccinated by different mucosal routes
M. Lagranderie et al., A cocktail of Mycobacterium bovis BCG recombinants expressing the SIV Nef,Env, and Gag antigens induces antibody and cytotoxic responses in mice vaccinated by different mucosal routes, AIDS RES H, 14(18), 1998, pp. 1625-1633
Recombinant live Mycobacterium bovis BCG strains (rBCG) expressing differen
t human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or simian immunodeficiency (SIV) antig
ens could be good candidates for the development of vaccines against AIDS.
To develop effective HIV/SIV vaccines, humoral and cellular immune response
s directed against multiple antigens may be essential for the control of th
e infection. In this study we immunized BALB/c mice via different mucosal r
outes (oral, aerogenic, nasal, and rectal) with a mixture of three rBCG str
ains expressing, respectively, the entire SIVmac251 Nef protein, and large
fragments of the Env and Gag proteins. All routes of immunization studied i
nduced immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies against mycobacterial PPD, SIV Env
, and SIV Gag antigens in feces and bronchial lavages as well as specific i
mmunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum. Strong, specific cytotoxic responses of spl
enocytes against Nef, Env, and Gag was observed whatever the mucosal route
of immunization. Therefore, mucosal vaccination with a cocktail of rBCG str
ains induces local, specific IgA, systemic IgG, and systemic CTLs against t
he three SIV antigens expressed. Rectal and oral routes seemed the most app
ropriate route of vaccination to be used to protect against SIV infection.