Intranasal vaccination with a lipopeptide containing a minimal, conserved M-protein derived peptide and a self-adjuvanting lipid induces both systemic and mucosal immune responses in mice

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a global health problem. Infection with GAS may result in a number of human diseases ranging from the relatively benign pharyngitis to the life-threatening sequelae of rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), therefore highlighting the need for a prophylactic vaccine. We demonstrate that a peptide from the M-protein when incorporated into a lipopeptide construct containing a universal T-cell epitope and a self-adjuvanting lipid moiety is capable of inducing peptide-specific serum IgG and peptide-specific mucosal IgA.