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Veterinary immunology and immunopathology2005; 104(3-4); 215-225; doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2004.12.006

Assessment in mice of vapA-DNA vaccination against Rhodococcus equi infection.

Abstract: There is a need to produce a vaccine against Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals in which immunity against infection is largely based on a type 1, cell-mediated, immune response. The VapA protein of the virulence plasmid of R. equi is highly immunogenic. To assess the potential of vapA-DNA to produce immunity, C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were immunized with a DNA vaccine constructed from vapA incorporated into pcDNA3.1. The plasmid construct expressed VapA in a COS-7 cell line. Intramuscular immunization of mice resulted in enhanced clearance of R. equi from the liver of intravenously challenged mice compared to non-immunized controls. This effect was more marked when pORF-IL-12, a plasmid expressing murine IL12, was included with the vaccine. Antibody developed to VapA, with an IgG2a response being more marked in mice immunized with pcDNA-vapA than in non-immunized or in mice immunized with the mixed vapA and IL-12 plasmid constructs. In conclusion, this study has shown for the first time that DNA immunization with vapA enhances the immune responses of mice against R. equi infection, that the IgG subisotype response is consistent with a type 1-based immune response, and that this can be enhanced by injection of the IL-12 gene.
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Publication Date: 2005-03-01 PubMed ID: 15734542DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2004.12.006Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study examines the potential for creating a vapA-DNA vaccine that would instigate an immune response against the Rhodococcus equi infection, common in foals. The results indicate that the vaccine did indeed enhance the mice’s immune responses and was even further optimized when paired with a IL-12 gene injection.

Research Methodology

  • The study primarily involved using the vapA protein from Rhodococcus equi, a bacteria known to cause pneumonia in foals. This protein was encoded into a DNA vaccine using pcDNA3.1, creating what is called a vapA-DNA vaccine.
  • Two types of mice, C57BL/6 and BALB/c, were used as the test subjects. They were given the vapA-DNA vaccine via intramuscular injection.
  • The researchers also tested a combination of this vaccine with pORF-IL-12, a plasmid that expresses murine IL12, to observe its effect on immunity.

Research Findings

  • The researchers found that the administration of the vapA-DNA vaccine resulted in enhanced clearance of R. equi from the mice’s liver. The researchers assessed this by observing the liver after the mice were intravenously exposed to the bacteria.
  • The immune response was found to be more robust when the vaccine was combined with the pORF-IL-12 plasmid, suggesting that the expression of IL-12 was instrumental in enhancing immune response against the infection.
  • The production of antibodies against the VapA protein was increased in the immunized mice. Notably, the response of IgG2a, an immunoglobulin subtype, was more evident in mice given the pcDNA-vapA vaccine than those given either no immunization or the mixed vapA and IL-12 construct.

Conclusion

  • The study establishes that the vapA-DNA vaccine can enhance the immune response of mice against Rhodococcus equi, signifying it has a potential for further development and possibly application in preventing this particular infection.
  • The findings also suggest that co-administration of an IL-12 gene along with a vaccine could improve the overall immune response.
  • The IgG subisotype response observed indicates that the response is aligned with a type 1-based immune response, which is essential for protection against the Rhodococcus equi infection.

Cite This Article

APA
Haghighi HR, Prescott JF. (2005). Assessment in mice of vapA-DNA vaccination against Rhodococcus equi infection. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 104(3-4), 215-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2004.12.006

Publication

Veterinary immunology and immunopathology
ISSN: 0165-2427
NlmUniqueID: 8002006
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 104
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 215-225

Researcher Affiliations

Haghighi, H R
  • Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada N1G 2W1.
Prescott, J F

    MeSH Terms

    • Actinomycetales Infections / immunology
    • Actinomycetales Infections / prevention & control
    • Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
    • Animals
    • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
    • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
    • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
    • Bacterial Vaccines / genetics
    • Bacterial Vaccines / immunology
    • Bacterial Vaccines / therapeutic use
    • COS Cells
    • Chlorocebus aethiops
    • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
    • Female
    • Horse Diseases / immunology
    • Horse Diseases / microbiology
    • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
    • Horses
    • Mice
    • Mice, Inbred BALB C
    • Mice, Inbred C57BL
    • Plasmids / genetics
    • Plasmids / immunology
    • Rhodococcus equi / genetics
    • Rhodococcus equi / immunology
    • Rhodococcus equi / pathogenicity
    • Transfection / veterinary
    • Vaccination / methods
    • Vaccination / veterinary
    • Vaccines, DNA / genetics
    • Vaccines, DNA / immunology
    • Vaccines, DNA / therapeutic use
    • Virulence Factors / genetics
    • Virulence Factors / immunology

    Citations

    This article has been cited 5 times.
    1. Trevisani MM, Hanna ES, Oliveira AF, Cardoso SA, Roque-Barreira MC, Soares SG. Vaccination of Mice with Virulence-Associated Protein G (VapG) Antigen Confers Partial Protection against Rhodococcus equi Infection through Induced Humoral Immunity. Front Microbiol 2017;8:857.
      doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00857pubmed: 28553279google scholar: lookup
    2. Giles C, Ndi O, Barton MD, Vanniasinkam T. An Adenoviral Vector Based Vaccine for Rhodococcus equi. PLoS One 2016;11(3):e0152149.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152149pubmed: 27008624google scholar: lookup
    3. van der Geize R, Grommen AW, Hessels GI, Jacobs AA, Dijkhuizen L. The steroid catabolic pathway of the intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi is important for pathogenesis and a target for vaccine development. PLoS Pathog 2011 Aug;7(8):e1002181.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002181pubmed: 21901092google scholar: lookup
    4. Jacks S, Giguère S, Prescott JF. In vivo expression of and cell-mediated immune responses to the plasmid-encoded virulence-associated proteins of Rhodococcus equi in foals. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2007 Apr;14(4):369-74.
      doi: 10.1128/CVI.00448-06pubmed: 17301216google scholar: lookup
    5. Liu L, Cai P, Gu W, Duan X, Gao S, Ma X, Ma Y, Ma S, Li G, Wang X, Cai K, Wang Y, Cai T, Zhao H. Evaluation of vaccine candidates against Rhodococcus equi in BALB/c mice infection model: cellular and humoral immune responses. BMC Microbiol 2024 Jul 8;24(1):249.
      doi: 10.1186/s12866-024-03408-zpubmed: 38977999google scholar: lookup
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