Increases of efficacy as vaccine against Brucella abortus infection in mice by simultaneous inoculation with avirulent smooth bvrS/bvrR and rough wbkA mutants

The Brucella abortus S19 and RB51 strains are the most widely used live vaccines against bovine brucellosis. However, both can induce abortion and milk excretion, S19 vaccination interferes in serological tests, and RB51 is less effective. We have shown previously that a rough wbkAB. abortus mutant is attenuated and a better vaccine than RB51 in BALB/c mice, and that mutants in the two-component regulatory system bvrS/bvrR are markedly attenuated while keeping a smooth lipopolysaccharide (S-LPS). In this work, we tested whether simultaneous inoculation with live bvrS increases wbkA vaccine efficacy in mice. Even at high doses, the bvrS mutant was cleared much faster from spleens than the wbkA mutant. The splenic persistence of the wbkA mutant increased when inoculated along with the bvrS mutant, but also with inactivated bvrS cells or with purified B. abortus S-LPS, strongly suggesting that S-LPS in the bvrS mutant played a determinant role in the wbkA persistence. When inoculated alone, both mutants protected against virulent B. abortus but less than when inoculated simultaneously, and the protection afforded by the combination was better than that obtained with B. abortus S19. Increased protection was also obtained after simultaneous inoculation of the wbkA mutant and inactivated bvrS cells or purified S-LPS, showing again the role played by the S-LPS in the bvrS cells. In mice, the bvrS–wbkA combination induced an antibody response reduced with respect to B. abortus S19 vaccination. Thus, the simultaneous use of live bvrS and wbkA B. abortus mutants seems a promising approach to overcome the problems of the S19 andRB51 vaccines.