Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to live recombinant BCG-HIV vaccines

Several viral and bacterial live recombinant vaccine vehicles are being developed to produce a new generation of vaccines against a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. The human tuberculosis vaccine Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has features that make it a particularly attractive live recombinant vaccine vehicle. BCG and other mycobacteria are highly effective adjuvants, and the immune response to mycobacteria has been studied extensively. With nearly two billion immunizations, BCG has a long record of safe use in man. It is one of the few vaccines that can be given at birth, it engenders long-lived immune responses with only a single dose, and there is a worldwide distribution network with experience in BCG vaccination. Recently developed molecular genetic tools and methods for mycobacteria have provided the means to introduce foreign genes into BCG. Here we report that a variety of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 polypeptides can be expressed in BCG recombinants under the control of the mycobacterial hsp70 promoter and that the foreign polypeptides produced in BCG can induce antibody and T-cell responses. These results demonstrate that BCG can be used as a live recombinant vaccine vehicle to induce immune responses to pathogen proteins produced by the bacillus.     

新型细菌幽灵疫苗的研究进展

细菌幽灵是革兰氏阴性菌被噬菌体PhiX174的裂解基因E裂解后形成的完整细菌空壳,可以作为一种候选疫苗.细菌幽灵是一种新的研发疫苗的策略,其本身所具有的佐剂性质可以加强免疫反应,包括T细胞的活化和黏膜免疫.因为细菌幽灵本身的和外源的抗原可以在细菌裂解之前就表达于膜复合物的表面,所以不同来源的抗原可以同时通过细菌幽灵呈递给免疫系统.细菌幽灵具有多种优势,包括生产方便、安全和可作为多价联合疫苗.     

结核疫苗研究进展

目的:回顾卡介苗(BCG)的应用情况,介绍关于结核疫苗研究进展的最新信息。方法:查阅大量关于结核疫苗研究的最近几年的文献。结果:有多种抗结核疫苗正在研究中,例如卡介苗、结核活疫苗、亚单位疫苗、DNA疫苗以及转基因植物疫苗等。结论:BCG仍是目前唯一可应用的抗结核疫苗,但是许多新疫苗己在动物模型中显示出潜力并开始进入临床试验。     

Vaccination against ovine cysticercosis using a defined recombinant antigen

Cysticercosis caused by larval tapeworms is a major public health problem and a cause of substantial economic losses in the farm-animal industries. Taenia ovis in sheep is a particularly important example. Immunity to reinfection with the larvae has a central role in regulating natural transmission of the parasites, and vaccination with antigens from the early larval oncosphere stage can induce complete protection against infection. As it is impractical to obtain enough oncospheres for a commercial vaccine against these tapeworms, an alternative approach is to use recombinant DNA methods to generate a cheap and plentiful supply of antigens. We report here the expression in Escherichia coli of complementary DNA encoding T. ovis antigens as fusion proteins with the Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase. Vaccination of sheep with these fusion proteins gave significant, although not complete, immunity against challenge infection with T. ovis eggs. Commercial development of a vaccine is being pursued.     

BOG初次免疫联合结核分枝杆菌Ag85A DNA疫苗加强免疫效果的研究

为探讨BCG初次免疫,结核分枝杆菌Ag85A DNA疫苗加强免疫的序贯免疫策略对小鼠的免疫效果。采用BCG及结核分枝杆菌Ag85A DNA疫苗依次免疫小鼠,在末次免疫后的4、6、8周通过检测小鼠血清总IgG抗体、特异性淋巴细胞增殖．细胞因子的水平,观测BCG初次免疫,Ag85A DNA疫苗加强免疫的策略对小鼠的免疫效果。结果显示,采用BCG初次免疫,结核分枝杆菌Ag85A DNA疫苗加强免疫的策略组的小鼠与其它免疫方式组相比,IgG明显升高（P〈0．05）、特异性淋巴细胞明显增殖、IFN7、IL-2、IL-4水平明显增高（P〈0．05）。由此可知,在采用BCG初次免疫,结核分枝杆菌Ag85A DNA疫苗加强的免疫策略后,能增强对小鼠的免疫效应,尤其是Thl型细胞免疫反应增强明显,为进一步在动物体内进行保护性效应试验的研究提供了实验依据。     

胞壁形式表达融合蛋白Der p2-PEB1重组BCG的构建和鉴定

利用重组BCG技术,构建能以胞壁形式表达屋尘螨Der p2和PEB1抗原的重组BCG口服哮喘疫苗pCW-Der p2-PEB1-rBCG,以pCW-Der p2质粒和pUC-PEB1质粒DNA为模板扩增基因,构建出重组质粒pCW-Der p2-PEB1.将重组质粒电穿导入BCG感受态细胞,潮霉素抗性筛选rBCG阳性克隆.阳性rBCG经PCR特异性扩增目的基因片段Der p2及PEB1,证实其中含有目的基因.用抗Der p2单克隆抗体和制备的小鼠PEB1抗血清对rBCG进行间接免疫荧光鉴定.结果成功扩增了Der p2及PEB1基因,构建出重组质粒pCW-Der p2-PEB1,并将质粒电穿入BCG中,免疫荧光法鉴定其成功.说明成功地构建了胞壁表达Der p2-PEB1融合蛋白重组BCG pCW-Der p2-PEB1-rBCG.为基因工程疫苗的研制奠定了基础.     

Successful vaccination with a polyvalent live vector despite existing immunity to an expressed antigen

A global vaccination strategy must take into account production and delivery costs as well as efficacy and safety. A heat-stable, polyvalent vaccine that requires only one inoculation and induces a high level of humoral and cellular immunity against several diseases is therefore desirable. A new approach is to use live microorganisms such as mycobacteria, enteric bacteria, adenoviruses, herpesviruses and poxviruses as vaccine vectors. A potential limitation of live polyvalent vaccines, however, is existing immunity within the target population not only to the vector, but to any of the expressed antigens. This could restrict replication of the vector, curtail expression of antigens, and reduce the total immune response to the vaccine. Recently acquired immunity to vaccinia virus can severely limit the efficacy of a live recombinant vaccinia-based vaccine, so a strategy involving closely spaced inoculations with the same vector expressing different antigens may present difficulties. We have constructed a recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses surface proteins from two diverse pathogens, influenza A virus haemagglutinin and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D. Mice that had recently recovered from infection with either HSV-1 or influenza A virus could still be effectively immunized with the double recombinant.     

Selective rejection of H-2-deficient lymphoma variants suggests alternative immune defence strategy

Metazoan organisms may discriminate between self and non-self not only by the presence of foreign antigens but also by the absence of normal self markers. Mammalian adaptive immune responses use the first strategy, with the additional requirement that foreign antigens are recognized in the context of self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products at the cell surface. Aberrant cells which fail to express MHC products adequately can therefore avoid detection. A more primitive but complementary defence system, eliminating such cells on the basis of absent self-markers, is suggested by a re-interpretation of phenomena associated with metastasis and natural resistance. We now show that murine lymphoma cells selected for loss of H-2 expression are less malignant after low-dose inoculation in syngeneic hosts than are wild-type cells, and that the rejection of such cells is non-adaptive. On the basis of our data, we suggest that natural killer cells are effector cells in a defence system geared to detect the deleted or reduced expression of self-MHC.     

Human antisera detect a Plasmodium falciparum genomic clone encoding a nonapeptide repeat

Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria infections in its human host. Its wide distribution in tropical countries is a major world health problem. Before a vaccine can be produced, the identification and characterization of parasite antigens is necessary. This can be achieved by the cloning and subsequent analysis of genes coding for parasite antigens. Recently established cDNA banks allow the expression of cDNA derived from the simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi and P. falciparum in Escherichia coli. Recombinants encoding parasite antigens have been identified by immunodetection in both banks. Two of them contain repetitive units of 11 (ref. 7) or 12 (ref. 5) amino acids. We describe here the construction of an expression bank made directly from randomly generated fragments of P. falciparum genomic DNA. We detect several clones which react strongly with human African immune sera. One clone expresses an antigenic determinant composed of occasionally degenerated repeats of a peptide nonamer.     

Immune sera recognize on erythrocytes Plasmodium falciparum antigen composed of repeated amino acid sequences

Protective immune responses against the asexual stages of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, are most probably directed against exposed antigenic determinants on the surface of the free merozoite or the infected red blood cell, and therefore antigens in these locations are candidates for testing as components of a defined molecular vaccine. To facilitate the search for such antigens, we recently developed a method for the expression of P. falciparum proteins in Escherichia coli as fused polypeptides. Many clones producing antigens were detected by screening with immune human sera. We show here that antibodies against the fused polypeptide expressed by one such clone react with a P. falciparum protein that is synthesized late in schizogony and is later present on the surface of the ring-infected erythrocyte. The protein is composed of repeating subunits of 8, 4 and 3 amino acids and is present in all isolates of P. falciparum examined.     

基因疫苗研究与进展

基因疫苗代表了新的、具有潜力的疫苗发展途径和研究方向，它取得成功主要归功于基因治疗技术的发展．基因疫苗是直接将抗原的编码基因注入动物体内，并在动物细胞中表达抗原蛋白以诱导动物产生免疫保护作用．基因疫苗研究有可能为当今人类无法控制的一些严重传染疾病，提供新的免疫防治途径和手段．本文回顾了基因疫苗发展历史和研究进展，与传统疫苗相比较，对基因疫苗的作用原理、构造以及技术方法等方面的初步研究和进展情况进行了概述。     

The foreign antigen binding site and T cell recognition regions of class I histocompatibility antigens

Most of the polymorphic amino acids of the class I histocompatibility antigen, HLA-A2, are clustered on top of the molecule in a large groove identified as the recognition site for processed foreign antigens. Many residues critical for T-cell recognition of HLA are located in this site, in positions allowing them to serve as ligands to processed antigens. These findings have implications for how the products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) recognize foreign antigens.     

An engineered poliovirus chimaera elicits broadly reactive HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies

The Sabin type 1 vaccine strain of poliovirus is probably the safest and most successful live-attenuated vaccine virus used in humans. Its widespread use since the early 1960s has contributed significantly to the virtual eradication of poliomyelitis in developed countries. We have reported previously the construction of an intertypic antigen chimaera of poliovirus, based on the Sabin 1 strain, and proposed that this virus could be modified to express on its surface antigenic determinants from other pathogens. We describe here the construction and characterization of a poliovirus antigen chimaera containing an epitope from the transmembrane glycoprotein (gp41) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In antibody absorption experiments, the virus chimaera inhibited neutralization of HIV-1 by antipeptide monoclonal antibodies specific for the gp41 epitope and significantly reduced the group specific neutralizing activity of HIV-1-positive human sera. Rabbit antisera raised by subcutaneous injection of the polio/HIV chimaera in adjuvant was shown to be specific for HIV-1 gp41 in peptide-binding assays and by western blotting. Moreover, the antisera neutralized a wide range of American and African HIV-1 isolates and also inhibited virus-induced cell fusion. Monoclonal antibodies against the HIV-1 derived regions of the chimaera also neutralized HIV-1. These results establish the potential of using poliovirus for the presentation of foreign antigens and suggest that Sabin 1 poliovirus/HIV chimaeras could offer an approach to the development of an HIV vaccine.     

Developmental regulation of T-cell receptor gene expression

In contrast to B cells or their antibody products, T lymphocytes have a dual specificity, for both the eliciting foreign antigen and for polymorphic determinants on cell surface glycoproteins encoded in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC restriction). The recent identification of T-cell receptor glycoproteins as well as the genes encoding T-cell receptor subunits will help to elucidate whether MHC proteins and foreign antigens are recognized by two T-cell receptors or by a single receptor. An important feature of MHC restriction is that it appears to be largely acquired by a differentiating T-cell population under the influence of MHC antigens expressed in the thymus, suggesting that precursor T cells are selected on the basis of their reactivity with MHC determinants expressed in the host thymus. To understand this process of 'thymus education', knowledge of the developmental regulation of T-cell receptor gene expression is necessary. Here we report that whereas messenger RNAs encoding the beta-and gamma-subunits are relatively abundant in immature thymocytes, alpha mRNA levels are very low. Interestingly, whereas alpha mRNA levels increase during further development and beta mRNA levels stay roughly constant, gamma mRNA falls to very low levels in mature T cells, suggesting a role for the gamma gene in T-cell differentiation.     

HLA-restricted recognition of viral antigens in HLA transgenic mice

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) recognize antigen in the context of the class-I products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The extensive polymorphism of class-I molecules is thought to be linked to their capacity to present a large variety of foreign antigens. Whether a single T-cell receptor (TCR) recognizes two separate epitopes (the foreign antigen and an epitope on MHC molecules), or a single epitope resulting from the combination of a foreign antigen and an MHC molecule, has not yet been resolved. In view of the differences between species in primary structure of histocompatibility antigens, it might be predicted that the TCR repertoire would evolve in concert with the diversity of MHC antigens. The mouse and human TCR repertoire would be optimally adapted to engage in productive interactions only with mouse (H-2) and human (HLA) MHC antigens respectively, especially if the more conserved features of histocompatibility antigens, in addition to foreign antigen, were seen by the TCR. Alternatively, only the most variable segments of MHC antigens might be engaged in antigen presentation and thus in interaction with the TCR. In that case, interaction between MHC plus antigen and the TCR might not necessarily be limited by species-specific features. By analysis of the T-cell response against virus-infected cells in HLA-B27/human beta 2-microglobulin double transgenic mice, we report here that the mouse T-cell repertoire is perfectly capable of using the human HLA-B27 antigen as a restriction element.     

Preferential expression of the T-cell receptor V beta 3 gene by Mlsc reactive T cells

The precursor frequency of T cells specific for any given foreign antigen is, in general, extremely low. Prominent exceptions to this rule are the T cells that are specific for foreign major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products or for products of the minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) genes in the mouse which are present at high frequencies. Here, we report a striking overlap or cross-reactivity between the T cells specific for the protein antigen pigeon cytochrome c in association with Ek alpha Ek beta and the set of T cells specific for Mlsc products. In addition, we demonstrate that the basis for this overlap is the predominant expression of one T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene, V beta 3, by T cells that recognize Mlsc products. These results indicate the importance of specific TCR alpha beta dimers in the recognition of Mlsc products and that positive or negative selection of T cells specific for Mls self-determinants may selectively alter the repertoire of T cells available for MHC-restricted recognition of foreign antigens.     

结核杆菌19ku脂蛋白的表达与纯化

目的:通过基因工程技术获得重组结核分枝杆茵19 ku蛋白。方法:应用PCR技术扩增卡介苗的19 ku蛋白DNA序列;以质粒pET28a为表达栽体,构建19 ku重组质粒,然后转化大肠埃希菌BL21(DE3);在异丙基硫代-β-D-半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导下,分别对不同诱导时间的表达产物进行十二烷基硫酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE),凝胶经考马斯亮蓝染色检测蛋白。通过镍柱纯化后获得目的蛋白。结果:重组质粒pET28a-p19测序表明与报道的序列相同。它在大肠埃希菌BL21(DE3)细胞内以可溶性形式表达。不同IPTG诱导时间实验表明重组结核分枝杆茵l9 ku蛋白诱导4 h在大肠埃希菌中的表达量最高。结论:pET28a-p19大肠埃希菌工程株可高表达结核分枝杆菌重组19 ku蛋白。     

男性避孕疫苗的研究进展

抗精子抗体能导致的免疫性不育,对抗精子抗体靶抗原的深入研究有助于揭示抗精子抗体与不育的因果关系.文章总结了近年来男性避孕疫苗研究方面所取得的成绩和存在的问题,为进一步开展避孕疫苗的研究工作奠定了基础.     

转基因蔬菜口服疫苗

介绍了转基因蔬菜口服疫苗的优点，外源基因在植物中表达的基本方法和遗传机制以及转基因植物口服疫苗在动物和人体中的应用和存在的问题。