Innate and acquired immune responses induced by recombinant Lactobacillus casei displaying flagellin-fusion antigen on the cell-surface

Bacterial flagellins are known as antigens that induce innate immune responses through TLR5 and boost immune responses in combination with other antigens. The aim of the present study was to determine the immunological properties of recombinant Lactobacillus casei producing flagellin and flagellin-fusion antigens in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant lactobacilli expressing Salmonella FliC and FliC fused to truncated SipC on the cell-surface were constructed. Fusion and non-fusion flagellin associated with L. casei retained the ability to induce IL-8 production by Caco-2 cells. Immunization of mice with these recombinant strains induced antigen-specific antibodies and cytokine production. The results showed that the outside epitope of the heterologous antigen was recognized more easily by the immune system than the inside epitope. The immune responses elicited by the Lactobacillus-associated antigens were mainly Th1 while that by the soluble antigen was Th2, although some of the responses were mixed.