Protection against Lethal Leptospirosis after Vaccination with LipL32 Coupled or Coadministered with the B Subunit of Escherichia coli Heat-Labile Enterotoxin |
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| Authors: | André A. Grassmann Samuel R. Félix Carolina Ximendes dos Santos Marta G. Amaral Amilton C. P. Seixas Neto Michel Q. Fagundes Fabiana K. Seixas éverton F. da Silva Fabricio R. Concei??o Odir A. Dellagostin |
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| Affiliation: | aUnidade de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico;bFaculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Leptospirosis, a worldwide zoonosis, lacks an effective, safe, and cross-protective vaccine. LipL32, the most abundant, immunogenic, and conserved surface lipoprotein present in all pathogenic species of Leptospira, is a promising antigen candidate for a recombinant vaccine. However, several studies have reported a lack of protection when this protein is used as a subunit vaccine. In an attempt to enhance the immune response, we used LipL32 coupled to or coadministered with the B subunit of the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LTB) in a hamster model of leptospirosis. After homologous challenge with 5× the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of Leptospira interrogans, animals vaccinated with LipL32 coadministered with LTB and LTB::LipL32 had significantly higher survival rates (P < 0.05) than animals from the control group. This is the first report of a protective immune response afforded by a subunit vaccine using LipL32 and represents an important contribution toward the development of improved leptospirosis vaccines. |
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