Vaccine potential of ESAT-6 protein fused with consensus CD4+ T-cell epitopes of PE/PPE proteins against highly pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain HN878
- Department of Microbiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South (Korea, Republic of)
Pro-Glu/Pro-Pro-Glu (PE/PPE) family proteins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are contributors to pathogenesis and immune evasion. These proteins have a unique structure in which the sequence is conserved. We investigated the vaccine potential of ESAT-6 fused with consensus CD4{sup +} T-cell epitopes of PE/PPE proteins against highly pathogenic Mtb strain HN878 in a murine model. We selected consensus CD4{sup +} T-cell epitopes of PE/PPE proteins by multiple alignments, investigated their IFN-γ response during Mtb infection, and produced their fused ESAT-6 vaccine antigens. Our results showed an increased immune response in PE/PPE peptide -ESAT-6 fusion protein immunization group compared to ESAT-6 only immunization group. After challenge with Mtb strain HN878, we observed that induced CD4{sup +} T-cells secreted double-positive cytokine IL-2{sup +}/IFN-γ{sup +}, which is considered to be associated with protective T-cell immunity. Additionally, lower numbers of colony-forming units were observed in the spleen of fusion protein immunization groups than in those of single ESAT-6 group. Therefore, conjugation of consensus CD4{sup +} T-cell epitopes in N terminus of PE/PPE to vaccine antigens could potentially increase the protective efficacy of subunit vaccine.
- OSTI ID:
- 23103622
- Journal Information:
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 503, Issue 4; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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