This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Induction of Immunity Overview of Adjuvant Mechanisms Targeting as a Means to Exert Adjuvant Function Adjuvant Function and Toxicity Specific Mechanisms Via the Toll-Like Receptors NOD Receptors Particulate Antigen Delivery: Microparticles/Viruslike Particles/Liposomes and Immunostimulating Complexes Combination Adjuvants Mucosal Vaccine Adjuvants Cholera Toxin: The Prototype Adjuvant Searching for In Vivo Correlates of Adjuvant Action Toxins are too Toxic for Clinical Use Nontoxic CTA1-DD Adjuvant Gene Expression Profiling Combination Adjuvants with CTA1-DD Concluding Remarks Acknowledgments References
ABSTRACT Th1 cells and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production play critical roles in protective immunity against genital tract infections by Chlamydia trachomatis . Here we show that inducible costimulatory molecule (ICOS) −/− mice develop greatly augmented host resistance against chlamydial infection. Protection following a primary infection was characterized by strong Th1 immunity with enhanced CD4 + T-cell-mediated IFN-γ production in the genital tract and high expression of T-bet in the draining para-aortic lymph node. This Th1 dominance was associated with low expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) mRNA in the uteruses of protected ICOS −/− mice. By contrast, CD28 −/− mice were severely impaired in their adaptive immune response, demonstrating a lack of CD4 + T cells and IFN-γ in the genital tract, with a substantial delay in bacterial elimination compared to that seen in wild-type (WT) mice. Upon reinfection, WT mice exhibited a transient local infection with evidence of regulatory T-cell (Treg)/Foxp3 mRNA and a more balanced Th1 and Th2 response in the genital tract than ICOS −/− mice, whereas 90% of the latter mice developed sterile immunity, poor expression of local Treg/Foxp3 mRNA, and macroscopic signs of enhanced local immunopathology. Therefore, different requirements for CD28 signaling and ICOS signaling clearly apply to host protection against a genital tract infection by C. trachomatis . Whereas, CD28 signaling is critical, ICOS appears to be dispensable and can have a dampening effect on Th1 development by driving Th2 immunity and anti-inflammation through IL-10 production and promotion of the Foxp3 + Treg populations in the genital tract. Both the CD28-deficient and the ICOS-deficient mice demonstrated poor specific antibody production, supporting the fact that antibodies are not needed for protection against genital tract chlamydial infections.
Due to the high risk of an outbreak of pandemic influenza, the development of a broadly protective universal influenza vaccine is highly warranted. The design of such a vaccine has attracted attention and much focus has been given to nanoparticle-based influenza vaccines which can be administered intranasally. This is particularly interesting since, contrary to injectable vaccines, mucosal vaccines elicit local IgA and lung resident T cell immunity, which have been found to correlate with stronger protection in experimental models of influenza virus infections. Also, studies in human volunteers have indicated that pre-existing CD4+ T cells correlate well to increased resistance against infection. We have previously developed a fusion protein with 3 copies of the ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (M2e), which is one of the most explored conserved influenza A virus antigen for a broadly protective vaccine known today. To improve the protective ability of the self-adjuvanting fusion protein, CTA1-3M2e-DD, we incorporated it into porous maltodextrin nanoparticles (NPLs). This proof-of-principle study demonstrates that the combined vaccine vector given intranasally enhanced immune protection against a live challenge infection and reduced the risk of virus transmission between immunized and unimmunized individuals. Most importantly, immune responses to NPLs that also contained recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) were strongly enhanced in a CTA1-enzyme dependent manner and we achieved broadly protective immunity against a lethal infection with heterosubtypic influenza virus. Immune protection was mediated by enhanced levels of lung resident CD4+ T cells as well as anti-HA and -M2e serum IgG and local IgA antibodies.
Abstract Conflicting findings have recently been presented as to the sites and sources of B cells that undergo class switch recombination (CSR) to IgA in the gut. In this study we provide compelling evidence in CD40−/− mice demonstrating that IgA CSR can be independent of CD40 signaling and germinal center formation and does not occur in the gut lamina propria (LP) itself. We found that CD40−/− mice had near normal levels of gut total IgA despite lacking germinal centers and completely failing to raise specific responses against the T cell-dependent Ags cholera toxin and keyhole limpet hemocyanin. The Peyer’s patches in CD40−/− mice expressed unexpectedly high levels of activation-induced cytidine deaminase mRNA and germline α transcripts, but few postswitch circular DNA transcripts, arguing against significant IgA CSR. Moreover and more surprisingly, wild-type mice exhibited no to low IgA CSR in mesenteric lymph nodes or isolated lymphoid follicles. Importantly, both strains failed to demonstrate any of the molecular markers for IgA CSR in the gut LP itself. Whereas all of the classical sites for IgA CSR in the GALT in CD40−/− mice appeared severely compromised for IgA CSR, B cells in the peritoneal cavity demonstrated the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase mRNA comparable to that of wild-type mice. However, peritoneal cavity B cells in both strains expressed intermediate levels of the germinal center marker GL7 and exhibited no germline α transcripts, and only three of 51 mice analyzed showed the presence of postswitch circular DNA transcripts. Taken together, these findings strongly argue for alternative inductive sites for gut IgA CSR against T cell-independent Ags outside of the GALT and the nonorganized LP.
Recent publications have provided confusing information on the importance of the J chain for secretion of dimeric IgA at mucosal surfaces. Using J chain-deficient (J chain-/-) mice, we addressed whether a lack of J chain had any functional consequence for the ability to resist challenge with cholera toxin (CT) in intestinal loops. J chain-/- mice had normal levels of IgA plasma cells in the gut mucosa, and the Peyer's patches exhibited normal IgA B cell differentiation and germinal center reactions. The total IgA levels in gut lavage were reduced by roughly 90% as compared with that in wild-type controls, while concomitantly serum IgA levels were significantly increased. Total serum IgM levels were depressed, whereas IgG concentrations were normal. Following oral immunizations with CT, J chain-/- mice developed 10-fold increased serum antitoxin IgA titers, but gut lavage anti-CT IgA levels were substantially reduced. However, anti-CT IgA spot-forming cell frequencies in the gut lamina propria were normal. Anti-CT IgM concentrations were low in serum and gut lavage, whereas anti-CT IgG titers were unaltered. Challenge of small intestinal ligated loops with CT caused dramatic fluid accumulation in immunized J chain-/- mice, and only 20% protection was detected compared with unimmunized controls. In contrast, wild-type mice demonstrated 80% protection against CT challenge. Mice heterozygous for the J chain deletion exhibited intermediate gut lavage anti-CT IgA and intestinal protection levels, arguing for a J chain gene-dosage effect on the transport of secretory IgA. This study unequivocally demonstrates a direct relationship between mucosal transport of secretory SIgA and intestinal immune protection.
Abstract An example for the bidirectional exchange of activating signals between a pathogen and immunocompetent cells in the host is presented. Trypanosoma brucei , which include subspecies that cause African sleeping sickness, secrete a molecule that triggers lymphocytes to produce interferon (IFN)‐γ. We now report that proliferation of T. brucei is stimulated in axenic cultures by IFN‐γ. The growth‐enhancing effect on the pathogen is inhibited by anti‐IFN‐γ receptor (R) antibodies and does not occur after exposure to other cytokines, i.e. IFN‐α, IFN‐β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. While rodent‐pathogenic T. brucei strains are stimulated by rat IFN‐γ, human pathogenic strains are more potently stimulated by human IFN‐γ. Rat and human IFN‐γ can partially block each others effects. Mice with disrupted IFN‐γ genes have reduced parasitemia and prolonged survival, while the outcome is reversed in mice that lack the IFN‐γR gene.
We studied cytokines and anti-cytokine autoantibodies (Aabs) during T.b.brucei infections in IFN-gamma-/-, IFN-gammaR-/- and wild-type mice. Increased serum levels of IFN-gamma, TNF-gamma and IL-4 with decreased Aabs to these cytokines were recorded early during infections in all mice (except IFN-gamma in IFN-gamma-/- mice). Later, these responses were reversed, and surprisingly Aabs reacting to IFN-gamma in the IFN-gamma -/- mice were detected. To examine the possibility that an IFN-ç immunoreactive molecule might be expressed due to infections and upon gene deletion, anti-IFN-gamma antibody was inoculated and resulted in abrogation of such Aabs. The scenario was different for IL-10 and TGF- since IFN-gammaR-/- and wild-type mice showed low cytokines and high Aabs early during infections, but later high cytokines and low Aabs were registered. Interestingly, IFN-gamma-/- mice exhibited reversed levels of both IL-10 and TGF-beta, and also of their Aabs. Fab fragments of purified serum immunoglobulins showed binding and neutralizing effects in biological assays. Pre-absorption of the Fab fragments with a cytokine inhibited the binding and neutralization effects of this cytokine, but not of other cytokines. These results highlight an important role for autoimmunity in cytokine regulation, and that genomic deletion of IFN-gamma modulates cytokines and their Aab responses in experimental African trypanosomiasis.
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