Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10613504 | Journal of Controlled Release | 2005 | 16 Pages |
Abstract
Receptor-mediated uptake of orally administered antigen can lead to an antigen-specific immune response, whereas oral administration of most other non-replicating soluble antigens results in the induction of oral tolerance. In the present study, it is shown that fimbriae purified from an F4(K88)+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain can function as a mucosal carrier molecule for the model antigen human serum albumin (HSA). Glutaraldehyde-coupled F4/HSA conjugates were able to bind F4 receptor positive (F4R+) enterocytes, but not to F4Râ enterocytes. Moreover, oral immunization of F4R+ pigs with F4/HSA conjugates induced a HSA-specific immune response, whereas oral immunization with HSA/HSA conjugates did not. This mucosal carrier function of F4 fimbriae was improved following oral co-administration of the F4/HSA conjugates with the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT) to F4R+ pigs, since both humoral and cellular HSA-specific responses were significantly increased. In comparison with F4R+ pigs, the HSA-specific response was reduced following oral F4/HSA+CT immunization of F4Râ pigs. This indicates that F4 fimbriae as mucosal carrier and CT as adjuvant synergistically improve the induction of a HSA-specific immune response following oral immunization of pigs. These results could open new perspectives in the development of vaccines against enteropathogens.
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Authors
F. Verdonck, V. De Hauwere, J. Bouckaert, B.M. Goddeeris, E. Cox,