M. Lagranderie et al., Immunogenicity and protective capacity of Mycobacterium bovis BCG after oral or intragastric administration in mice, VACCINE, 18(13), 2000, pp. 1186-1195
After oral or intragastric administration of BCG to mice, comparable number
s of IFN gamma and TNF gamma producing cells were detected in both local (P
eyer's patches) and central (spleen) lymphoid organs. Similar levels of pre
cursors of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for mycobacterial antigens
were also found in the spleen and the mesenteric lymph nodes. These immune
responses remained high over the course of 3 months, the duration of obser
vation. Oral administration of BCG led to an enlargement of the cervical ly
mph nodes, which contained high levels of viable bacteria. In contrast, no
adverse effects were observed in mice given the BCG via the intragastric ro
ute. These two routes of immunization induced similar levels of protective
immunity to those observed in mice immunized via the subcutaneous route aga
inst a challenge with a virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain (H37Rv).
(C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.