表达Ag85B与ESAT6融合蛋白的基因疫苗的免疫学特性

目的测定表达Ag85B与ESAT6融合蛋白的两种重组质粒AZ-pcDNA3-EF和EZ-pcDNA3-AF在小鼠体内诱导的免疫应答及保护力。方法50只BALB/c小鼠随机分为5组(每组10只),将表达Ag85B与ESAT6融合蛋白的两种重组质粒AZ-pcDNA3-EF和EZ-pcDNA3-AF分别免疫小鼠3次,每次间隔2周,同时设卡介苗(BCG)免疫组、空载体质粒免疫组和生理盐水对照组。最后一次免疫结束后,每组取5只小鼠血清,酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法检测特异性抗体的滴度,并分离小鼠的脾淋巴细胞,并在体外用结核分枝杆菌(MTB)培养滤液蛋白(cu lture filtrate prote in,CFP)刺激,测定脾淋巴细胞增殖指数和γ干扰素(IFN-γ)水平。用1 m l含1×105克隆形成单位(CFU)的MTB毒株H37Rv经尾静脉感染其余每组5只BALB/c小鼠,4周后计数脾脏细菌负荷数。结果质粒AZ-pcDNA3-EF和EZ-pcDNA3-AF免疫小鼠血清的特异性抗体滴度分别为1∶1 000和1∶1 500。其脾淋巴细胞刺激指数分别为2.2和2.4,而生理盐水对照组和空载体质粒免疫组的刺激指数只有0.9和1.1;脾淋巴细胞悬液中诱发的IFN-γ分别为(5.48±0.38)ng/m l和(5.76±0.51)ng/m l,显著高于生理盐水对照组和空载体质粒免疫组(P<0.05),但与BCG免疫组的(5.55±0.31)ng/m l比较差异无统计学意义。结核毒株攻击后,与空载体质粒免疫组相比,质粒AZ-pcDNA3-EF和EZ-pcDNA3-AF免疫的BALB/c小鼠其抗MTB在脾脏中增殖有显著作用,3组脾脏细菌负荷对数值(lg,CFU/g)分别为6.08±0.25、4.63±0.11、4.50±0.32,但不及BCG免疫组的4.09±0.27。结论表达Ag85B与ESAT6融合蛋白的基因疫苗在小鼠体内诱导的IFN-γ水平与BCG相当,其保护力有待进一步提高。

Immunity characteristics induced by a genetic vaccine expressing Ag85B-ESAT6 fusion protein

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses induced by a genetic vaccine expressing the Ag85B-ESAT6 fusion protein, and to investigate its protective effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) challenge. METHODS: Fifty BALB/c mice were randomized into 5 groups and subjected to the following treatments respectively: immunization with normal saline, BCG, pcDNA3, A(Z)-pcDNA3-E(F) and E(Z)-pcDNA3-A(F) for 3 times at 2-week intervals. The stimulation index (SI) of the splenic lymphocytes from the immunized mice was measured by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, and the level of secreted IFN-gamma upon antigen-specific stimulation was detected by ELISA. The immunized mice were intravenously infected with 10(5) colony forming unit (CFU) of MTB H(37)Rv. The numbers of MTB CFU in spleens were determined 4 weeks later. RESULTS: The specific antibody titers in the sera of mice immunized with plasmid A(Z)-pcDNA3-E(F) and E(Z)-pcDNA3-A(F) were 1:1,000 and 1:1,500 respectively, and the SI was 2.2 and 2.4 respectively, while the SI of the normal saline group and the plasmid pcDNA3 immunized group was only 0.9 and 1.1 respectively. The IFN-gamma concentrations in cultured supernatant of splenic lymphocytes from mice immunized with plasmid A(Z)-pcDNA3-E(F) [(5.48 +/- 0.38) ng/ml] and E(Z)-pcDNA3-A(F) [(5.76 +/- 0.51) ng/ml] were significantly higher than those of the normal saline group [(0.50 +/- 0.25) ng/ml] and the plasmid pcDNA3 immunized group [(1.20 +/- 0.33) ng/ml, P < 0.05], but were not significantly different with that of the BCG immunized group [(5.55 +/- 0.31) ng/ml]. Compared with plasmid pcDNA3 immunized group, the bacterial load (lg, CFU/g) in spleen was 6.08 +/- 0.25 which dramatically reduced in mice immunized with recombinant plasmids, but the protective efficacy of mice immunized with plasmid A(Z)-pcDNA3-E(F) (4.63 +/- 0.11) or E(Z)-pcDNA3-A(F) (4.50 +/- 0.32) was lower than that of the BCG vaccination group (4.09 +/- 0.27). CONCLUSION: The cell-mediated immune response induced by genetic vaccine expressing the Ag85B-ESAT6 fusion protein was similar to that induced by BCG immunization.