Characterization of the antibody response to a Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection

Children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection (RLRI) may respond poorly to polysaccharide antigens. To examine how such children respond to a polysaccharide coupled to a protein carrier, we immunized 15 children with RLRI aged 8–69 months and 15 carefully age-matched healthy controls once with a Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine. Total IgG subclasses, total antipolysaccharide Hib antibodies, and antipolysaccharide Hib antibodies of IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgG 1–4 specificity were determined by ELISA. There were no significant differences between the two groups in any single total IgG subclass, but total IgG measured as the sum of all four subclasses was significantly lower in the children with RLRI than in the controls ( P = 0.036). Before vaccination, the children with RLRI had significantly less IgG antipolysaccharide Hib antibody than the controls ( P = 0.005), whereas 1 month later they had significantly more IgM antibody (P = 0.038). No other significant differences were found between the groups before or after immunization with respect to antipolysaccharide Hib antibodies. Since naturally occurring IgG antibodies are thought to be aquired partly as a consequence of antigenic stimulation on mucosal surfaces, we hypothesize that the low level of specific IgG found before immunization, as well as the low total IgG in the children with RLRI, may reflect an impaired ability to prime through mucosal surfaces. This is supported by our finding of an increased IgM response to Hib conjugate vaccine in these children, since this isotype predominates in the primary immune response, i.e., in the absence of immunologic memory. In conclusion, children with RLRI can be protected against invasive Hib infection as well as healthy children, but may have an immunodeficiency characterized by defective ability to respond to antigenic stimulation on mucosal surfaces.     

双价痢疾菌苗滴鼻免疫小鼠后不同部位淋巴细胞表型的变化

目的:观测双价痢疾工程菌苗滴鼻免疫小鼠后,不同时间、不同部位淋巴组织细胞表型的变化,探讨痢疾菌苗滴鼻免疫对黏膜和系统免疫应答的影响。方法:BALB/c小鼠随机分为3组,每组30只,分别以FSM-2117和FS-5416痢疾菌苗经滴鼻途径免疫小鼠4次,菌量依次为5×106、1×107、4×107和4×107CFU/只,对照组给予PBS,间隔2 wk。4次免疫后7、30和90 d活杀,分离NALT、鼻通道、脾、小肠PP结淋巴细胞,采用流式细胞术检测其淋巴细胞表型的变化。结果:4次免疫后7 d,小鼠鼻相关淋巴组织(NALT)、鼻通道(NP)和Peyer’s结(PP)淋巴细胞中,CD3 T细胞数均显著增加,其中以CD4 T细胞增加为主。FSM-2117免疫组的脾细胞中B220 细胞显著增加;而FS 5416免疫组的脾细胞中CD3 T细胞显著增加。4次免疫后30 d,NALT、NP和脾淋巴细胞仍出现上述变化;而90 d,仅NALT和NP淋巴细胞出现上述同样变化。结论:两株双价痢疾菌苗滴鼻免疫小鼠后,能有效地诱导黏膜和系统免疫应答,且持续时间较长,但该免疫应答的减弱是从距免疫部位较远的部位而开始的。     

不同方法注射乙肝免疫球蛋白阻断HBsAg、HBeAg双阳性孕妇母婴传播的研究

目的研究不同方法注射乙肝免疫球蛋白(HBIG)对HBsAg伴HBeAg双阳性孕妇的乙肝病毒(HBV)宫内感染阻断作用。方法将137例双阳性孕妇分为4组:A组从孕16周起注射HBIG,B组从孕20周起注射HBIG,C组从孕28周起注射HBIG,A、B、C 3组孕妇每次均注射HBIG200IU,并间隔4周1次,直至临产;D组作为对照组,不注射HBIG;出生后4组所有新生儿均于16h内和生后2周注射HBIG200IU,满月起按1、2、7月龄分别接种乙肝疫苗,并定期随访。结果新生儿出生时外周血测得HBsAg,A组与B组无显著性差别(P>0.05),A、B 2组与C组、D组以及C组与D组均有显著性差别(P均<0.05);经随访A、B、C、D 4组HBV宫内感染率分别为5.6%、5.3%、19.4%和48.5%,母婴传播阻断率A组与B组无显著差异(P>0.05),A组和B组均显著高于C组和D组、C组显著高于D组(P均<0.05)。结论对HBsAg伴HBeAg双阳性孕妇,选择孕20周开始注射HBIG比较合适,阻断率最高,能有效减少HBV宫内感染的发生率。     

tPA信号肽和鼠疫杆菌保护性抗原V融合基因的构建及免疫效果鉴定

获得含有鼠疫杆菌V抗原编码基因以及tPA信号肽编码序列的重组质粒,并测定其诱导特异性免疫应答的能力。采用PCR扩增鼠疫菌杆菌V基因构建到pVAX1质粒中产生pVAX1/V重组质粒,PCR扩增tPA信号肽编码序列片段并将其插入到pVAX1/V中V基因的上游,构建tPA-pVAX1/V重组质粒;转染COS-7细胞,免疫细胞化学方法鉴定V蛋白的表达;二重组质粒分别加mGM-CSF质粒免疫BALB/c小鼠,观察免疫应答反应;以400个LD50强毒鼠疫杆菌皮下攻击免疫小鼠观察保护效率。结果显示,tPA-pVAX1/V在COS-7细胞中表达了V蛋白;免疫小鼠血清产生了特异性抗体和细胞免疫应答;攻毒保护率达80%。成功构建了分泌型V蛋白的真核表达质粒载体,具有诱导特异性细胞免疫和体液免疫应答的能力,对强毒鼠疫杆菌攻毒有一定的保护效力,为鼠疫杆菌新型疫苗研制奠定了基础。     

恶性疟原虫113肽抗原基因重组的减毒鼠伤寒沙门菌在家兔中免疫应答的研究

我们已经在减毒鼠伤寒沙门菌ＳＬ３２６１以融合蛋白的形式表达了人工合成的恶性疟原虫杂合１１３肽基因ＡＢ（ＧＺ－ＡＢ）。活菌以２×１０９ＣＦＵ经口服免疫新西兰家兔，用ＥＬＩＳＡ测定抗体水平，结果于首次免疫或加强免疫后都可检测到一定水平的特异性抗体。所免疫的家免可以诱发针对恶性疟原虫抗原及ＧＺ－ＡＢ的迟发性超敏反应（ＤＴＨ）。我们的研究表明，含有多个恶性疟原虫抗原表位的人工合成基因可以在减毒鼠伤寒沙门菌中表达，活菌可诱发家兔产生特异的体液免疫及细胞免疫，为恶性疟口服活菌苗的制备打下基础。     

结核分枝杆菌Rv2450蛋白诱导小鼠免疫应答的实验研究

目的:以原核表达的结核分枝杆菌Rv2450蛋白在小鼠体内诱导体液和细胞免疫应答。方法:采用皮下包埋的方法,以预先转移到硝酸纤维素膜上的原核表达的Rv2450蛋白免疫小鼠(10只)3次,每次间隔2周。用间接ELISA法检测免疫小鼠血清特异性抗体的滴度。末次免疫完成后4周,处死3只免疫小鼠并分离脾淋巴细胞,体外经PPD(2μg/孔)刺激后,用MTT比色法检测免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞的增殖指数。用ELISA法检测脾淋巴细胞悬液中IFN-γ、IL-10及IL-12的水平。结果:Rv2450蛋白免疫小鼠血清特异性抗体的滴度为1∶3200,淋巴细胞增殖指数为3.76±0.19。免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞培养液中IFN-γ、IL-10及IL-12的含量,分别为(1740±19)ng/L、(678±15)ng/L、(469±13)ng/L,均高于各组的生理盐水对照组(P<0.05)。结论:Rv2450有可能作为新型结核疫苗的候选组分。     

TIM2转基因细胞瘤苗对小鼠作用的初步研究

目的 观察小鼠TIM2转基因H22肝癌细胞瘤苗在小鼠体内的成瘤作用 ,初步研究其免疫原性.方法 构建TIM2基因真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP - TIM2,脂质体法转染H22细胞,制备得到TIM2基因修饰的H22细胞瘤苗,建立小鼠肝癌移植瘤模型,观察其在小鼠体内的成瘤作用.结果 成功得到TIM2基因修饰的H22 细胞瘤苗,免疫接种小鼠后,可明显抑制小鼠体内肿瘤的发生和发展;给予H22-TIM2接种的小鼠CD4亚群、CD4/CD8比值显著高于H22-EGFP 细胞接种组、荷瘤对照组和正常对照组.结论 TIM2基因修饰H22细胞后,可显著降低H22细胞的体内成瘤性,抑制小鼠肿瘤生长,同时.在体内具有一定的免疫原性,为进一步探讨TIM2 在肿瘤生物治疗中的作用提供了初步的实验依据.     

登革病毒2型NS1蛋白DNA疫苗的构建及其免疫效果观察

目的　以登革病毒 2型 (denguevirus2 ,DV2 )非结构蛋白 (non structrulprotein 1,NS1)为靶基因 ,构建DV2 NS1的候选DNA疫苗 ;并探讨其在小鼠体内诱导特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫的作用。方法　将登革病毒 2型NS1 NS2a基因片段克隆至含AG强启动子的真核表达载体pCXN2上 ,构建成重组体pCXN2 NS1 NS2a。在体外将重组质粒转染Cos 7细胞 ,间接免疫荧光检测其在真核细胞中的表达。大量提取空质粒和重组质粒 ,进行动物免疫实验。结果　重组质粒可在真核细胞中有效地表达NS1蛋白。免疫接种小鼠后可诱发机体产生针对NS1蛋白的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫。末次免疫前已有抗体产生 ,4周后达高峰。抗体依赖补体介导的溶细胞作用 (antibody dependentcomple ment mediatedcytolysis,ADCC)试验结果显示产生的抗体在体外具有特异的杀细胞作用。淋巴细胞增殖实验结果显示 ,实验组小鼠的淋巴细胞增殖能力与对照组比较差异有显著性。流式细胞计数仪(FACS)检测DNA免疫鼠CD4 + 、CD8+ T淋巴细胞变化情况 ,与注射空载体pCXN2的阴性鼠相比 ,CD4 + 、CD8+ 细胞水平有较大升高 (P <0 .0 1)。动物保护性实验结果显示 ,当用致死剂量登革病毒攻击免疫鼠时 ,有 6 6 .6 %的免疫鼠受到保护。结论　NS1 NS2a基因重组质粒免疫小鼠可以诱     

Changes in Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes causing invasive disease with non-universal vaccination coverage of the seven-valent conjugate vaccine

The pneumococcal seven-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) has been administered in Portugal since late 2001 through the private sector. To evaluate the impact of PCV7 use, the serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of pneumococci causing invasive disease in Portugal during 2003–2005 were determined and compared with available data for the period 1999–2002. Changes in serotype distribution compatible with the introduction of PCV7 were shown for children ≤5 years of age from 2003 onwards and for adults from 2004 onwards. PCV7 use with coverage of 43% of children with four doses in the 2004 birth cohort, although substantially below universal coverage, seems to have contributed to greatly reducing the proportion of invasive infections due to vaccine serotypes  4, 6B, 14 and 23F. Similarly, significant indirect effects on the serotype distribution of pneumococci causing infections in adults were noted, with reductions in the proportion of invasive infections caused by serotypes  4, 5 and 14. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the proportion of two non-vaccine serotypes: 19A isolates in all age groups and 7F isolates in adults. Whereas serotypes  6B, 14 and 19A were associated with multidrug resistance, isolates expressing serotypes  4 and 7F were fully susceptible for the most part. There were no changes in the proportion of resistant isolates within each serotype and, in spite of the changes in serotype prevalence, there was not an overall reduction in the proportion of infections caused by resistant pneumococci.     

T helper cell-mediated interferon-gamma expression after human parvovirus B19 infection: persisting VP2-specific and transient VP1u-specific activity

Human parvovirus B19 is a small non-enveloped DNA virus with an icosahedral capsid consisting of proteins of only two species, the major protein VP2 and the minor protein VP1. VP2 is contained within VP1, which has an additional unique portion (VP1u) of 227 amino acids. We determined the ability of eukaryotically expressed parvovirus B19 virus-like particles consisting of VP1 and VP2 in the ratio recommended for vaccine use, or of VP2 alone, to stimulate, in an HLA class II restricted manner, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to proliferate and to secrete interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-10 cytokines among recently and remotely B19 infected subjects. PBMC reactivity with VP1u was determined specifically with a prokaryotically expressed VP1u antigen. In general, B19-specific IFN-gamma responses were stronger than IL-10 responses in both recent and remote infection; however, IL-10 responses were readily detectable among both groups, with the exception of patients with relapsed or persisting symptoms who showed strikingly low IL-10 responses. Whereas VP1u-specific IFN-gamma responses were very strong among the recently infected subjects, the VP1u-specific IFN-gamma and IL-10 responses were virtually absent among the remotely infected subjects. The disappearance of VP1u-specific IFN-gamma expression is surprising, as B-cell immunity against VP1u is well maintained.