Characterisation of the immune response to the UK human anthrax vaccine

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FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, Vol. 36 (1-2) (2003) pp. 83-86
© 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S0928-8244(03)00085-3
 

Characterisation of the immune response to the UK human anthrax vaccine

Leslie Baillie a * baillie@umbi.umd.edu , Richard Hebdon b, Helen Flick-Smith b and Diane Williamson b

a Medical Biotechnology Center, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, 725 W Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
b Dstl, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK

Received 23 October 2002; received in revised form 17 December 2002; accepted 5 February 2003

Abstract

The UK human anthrax vaccine consists of the alum-precipitated culture supernatant of Bacillus anthracis Sterne. In addition to protective antigen (PA), the key immunogen, the vaccine also contains a number of other bacteria- and media-derived proteins. These proteins may contribute to the transient side effects experienced by some individuals and could influence the development of the PA-specific immune response. Bacterial cell-wall components have been shown to be potent immunomodulators. B. anthracis expresses two S-layer proteins, EA1 and Sap, which have been demonstrated to be immunogenic in animal studies. These are also immunogenic in man so that convalescent and post-immunisation sera contain specific antibodies to Ea1, and to a lesser extent, to Sap. To determine if these proteins are capable of modifying the protective immune response to PA, A/J mice were immunised with equivalent amounts of recombinant PA and S-layer proteins in the presence of alhydrogel. IgG isotype profiles were determined and the animals were subsequently challenged with spores of B. anthracis STI. The results suggest that there was no significant shift in IgG isotype profile and that the presence of the S-layer proteins did not adversely affect the protective immune response induced by PA.

Keywords: Anthrax vaccine; S-layer protein; Immune responses

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 (410) 706 4565

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