Recombinant AhpC antigen from Mycobacterium bovis boosts BCG-primed immunity in mice

DÜZENLİ Ö. F., OKAY S., KAZKAYASI BÖLÜK İ., ÖNER A. F.

TURKISH JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY, vol.46, no.1, pp.95-108, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 46 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3906/biy-2108-41
  • Journal Name: TURKISH JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.95-108
  • Keywords: Subunit vaccine, tuberculosis, prime-boost vaccination, recombinant protein, ISONIAZID RESISTANCE, ISA 61, TUBERCULOSIS, EFFICACY, VACCINE, TRANSMISSION, INFECTION, ADJUVANTS, PROTEINS
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the most common infectious diseases around the world despite the widespread use of BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) strain of Mycobacterium bovis as a vaccine. This vaccine does not always protect people from TB, and, thus, new effective vaccines or vaccination strategies are being investigated. In this study, alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AhpC) from M. bovis was evaluated as a new candidate vaccine antigen against TB in BALB/c mice model. The ahpC gene was amplified from M.bovis genome, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Vaccine antigen AhpC was formulated with Montanide ISA 61 VG, an oil-based emulsion adjuvant. Both IgG and IL-12 responses were observed in mice alter administering the formulation both as a subunit vaccine alone and also as a booster vaccine for BCG immunization. However, a long-lasting response was observed when AhpC formulation was used as a booster (for BCG-primed immunization) as compared to being used as a subunit vaccine alone. In short, these findings suggested that AhpC has the potential to be used as a booster vaccine candidate for BCG-primed immunization.