Assembly, Biochemical Characterization, Immunogenicity, Adjuvanticity, and Efficacy of Shigella Artificial Invaplex

ABSTRACT The native Invaplex (Invaplex NAT ) vaccine and adjuvant is an ion exchange-purified product derived from the water extract of virulent Shigella species. The key component of Invaplex NAT is a high-molecular-mass complex (HMMC) consisting of the Shigella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the invasin proteins IpaB and IpaC. To improve product purity and immunogenicity, artificial Invaplex (Invaplex AR ) was developed using recombinant IpaB and IpaC proteins and purified Shigella LPS to assemble an HMMC consisting of all three components. Characterization of Invaplex AR by various methods demonstrated similar characteristics as the previously reported HMMC in Invaplex NAT . The well-defined Invaplex AR vaccine consistently contained greater quantities of IpaB, IpaC, and LPS than Invaplex NAT . Invaplex AR and Invaplex NAT immunogenicities were compared in mouse and guinea pig dose escalation studies. In both models, immunization induced antibody responses specific for Invaplex NAT and LPS while Invaplex AR induced markedly higher anti-IpaB and -IpaC serum IgG and IgA endpoint titers. In the murine model, homologous protection was achieved with 10-fold less Invaplex AR than Invaplex NAT and mice receiving Invaplex AR lost significantly less weight than mice receiving the same amount of Invaplex NAT . Moreover, mice immunized with Invaplex AR were protected from challenge with both homologous and heterologous Shigella serotypes. Guinea pigs receiving approximately 5-fold less Invaplex AR compared to cohorts immunized with Invaplex NAT were protected from ocular challenge. Furthermore, adjuvanticity previously attributed to Invaplex NAT was retained with Invaplex AR . The second-generation Shigella Invaplex vaccine, Invaplex AR , offers significant advantages over Invaplex NAT in reproducibility, flexible yet defined composition, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy. IMPORTANCE Shigella species are bacteria that cause severe diarrheal disease worldwide, primarily in young children. Treatment of shigellosis includes oral fluids and antibiotics, but the high burden of disease, increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, and long-term health consequences clearly warrant the development of an effective vaccine. One Shigella vaccine under development is termed the invasin complex or Invaplex and is designed to drive an immune response to specific antigens of the bacteria in an effort to protect an individual from infection. The work presented here describes the production and evaluation of a new generation of Invaplex. The improved vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies in immunized mice and guinea pigs and protects these animals from Shigella infection. The next step in the product’s development will be to test the safety and immune response induced in humans immunized with Invaplex.