结核分枝杆菌DNA疫苗对小鼠结核病免疫治疗作用的实验研究

目的探讨结核分枝杆菌DNA疫苗pcD85B、pcDMPT64以及小鼠白细胞介素12(IL-12)真核表达质粒psIL12对结核分枝杆菌感染的疗效与机制。方法将结核分枝杆菌H37Rv感染的C57BL/J6小鼠100只随机分成生理盐水对照组、pcDNA3.1对照组,psIL12治疗组,pcD85B、pcDMPT64、pcD85B+pcDMPT64、pcD85B+psIL12DNA疫苗治疗组。感染4周后分别给予生理盐水、空质粒、psIL-12及DNA疫苗,第1次治疗后2个月处死小鼠,检测器官荷菌量、脾淋巴细胞特异性γ干扰素(IFN-γ)、白细胞介素4(IL4)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)的分泌水平,并于第1次治疗后2个月、5个月观察小鼠肺、脾组织病理改变情况。结果pcD85B治疗组肺组织荷菌量(lg-1CFU/g)为6.99±0.40,比生理盐水对照组(8.15±0.37)、pCDNA3.1对照组(8.19±0.29)显著降低(P<0.01);脾组织荷菌量(lg-1CFU/g,x±s)为5.17±0.33,比生理盐水对照组(5.76±0.16)及空质粒对照组(5.88±0.21)显著降低(P<0.05)。psIL12治疗组的肺(7.41±0.50)、脾(5.31±0.21)荷菌量比对照组显著降低(P<0.05);pcD85B+psIL12治疗组肺、脾荷菌量与pcD85B组比较差别无统计学意义。pcD85B组脾淋巴细胞IFN-γ、TNFα水平比对照组显著升高(P<0.05),各组间IL4水平差异无统计学意义。生理盐水对照组、pCDNA3.1对照组肺组织

Therapeutic effects of DNA vaccines in a murine model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects and mechanisms of DNA vaccines encoding Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens on murine Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. METHODS: C57BL/J6 mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis were treated with normal saline (NS), pCDNA3.1, psIL-12, pcD85B, pcDMPT64, pcD85B + pcDMPT64, and pcD85B + psIL-12 respectively. The numbers of viable bacteria in the lung and the spleen were counted. The levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and TNF-alpha of spleen lymphocytes stimulated with PPD were detected with ELISA. Lungs and spleens were prepared for pathological analysis. RESULTS: The pcD85B group (6.99 +/- 0.40 in lung, 5.17 +/- 0.33 in spleen), the psIL-12 group (7.41 +/- 0.50 in lung, 5.31 +/- 0.21 in spleen)and the pcD85B + psIL-12 group (7.64 +/- 0.28 in lung, 5.49 +/- 0.31 in spleen) showed significantly reduced number of colony forming units (lg(-1) CFU/g, x +/- s) in lungs and spleens compared with the control mice (5.76 +/- 0.16 in saline, 5.88 +/- 0.21 in pCDNA3.1), but the difference between the pcD85B group and the pcD85B + psIL-12 group was not significant. pcD85B vaccination induced high levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. No change of IL-4 was found in all groups. The pathological changes in lungs of the pcD85B group were localized, while those in the control group were extensive. There was no significant changes in the spleen of all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ag85B DNA vaccination had immunotherapeutic effects, which were associated with a switch to Th1 response and enhanced production of cytokines TNF-alpha and INF-gamma. psIL-12 alone showed therapeutic effect, but it didn't enhance the therapeutic effect of single Ag85B DNA vaccination.