A COMPARISON OF NATURAL AND RECOMBINANT CHOLERA-TOXIN B-SUBUNIT AS STIMULATORY FACTORS IN INTRANASAL IMMUNIZATION

Cholera toxin B (CTB) is often envisaged and used as an immune stimula ting agent in protocols for mucosal immunization. However, the nature of the CTB used (natural vs recombinant) is frequently not taken in co nsideration This is important since the usage of natural CTB in mucosa l immunization regimen and the mucosal response resulting from such an immunization can be effected by the presence of the CTA subunit in co mmercial CTB preparations. To clarify this, we have compared natural v s recombinant CTB in an intranasal (in.) mucosal immunization procedur e using ovalbumin (OVA) as antigen. The results show that recombinant CTB induces similar immune responses like natural CTB. Furthermore, ou r experiments show that covalent coupling of OVA to CTB is not require d for the induction of OVA specific mucosal and systemic immune respon ses upon in immunization. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.