Other vaccine candidates

[Guest guest]

Here is more thoughtful, responsible and scientific vaccine

development. However, using the DNA that encodes the immunogenic

regions rather the protein products as the actual vaccine begs the

question of where the DNA pieces will be inserted in genomes, and

whether insertions into the human recipient's genes will occur.--Nass:

Vaccine. 2007 Dec 18 [Epub ahead of print]

Plasmid-based vaccination with candidate anthrax vaccine antigens

induces durable type 1 and type 2 T-helper immune responses.

Zhang Y, Qiu J, Zhou Y, Farhangfar F, Hester J, Lin AY, Decker WK.

MithraGen, Inc., 8030 El Rio, Houston, TX 77054, United States.

The current anthrax vaccine imparts protective immunity by

generating a humoral immune response against a single antigen, the PA

exotoxin subunit. While this response neutralizes the two anthrax

exotoxins and protects the recipient from toxin-related mortality, the

recipient is not protected from spore germanation, infection, and/or

bacteremia. Moreover, protective immunity against PA must be generated

via a lengthy injection schedule and maintained by a yearly booster.

In an effort to improve upon the current vaccine formulation, we

screened six of seven known virulence factors encoded by Bacillus

anthracis epigenetic elements pXO1 and pXO2 as well as the major

surface proteins EA1 and SAP. Screening was carried out in conjunction

with a plasmid-based technology known for its ability to generate type

1 and type 2 T-helper responses. Long-term high level antibody titers

were generated against the products of eag (EA1), sap (SAP), and the

capA capsule synthesis subunit in vivo. Further analysis of PA- and

EA1-vaccinated mice demonstrated antigen-specific type 1 helper

responses including IFN-gamma secretion and lysis of EA1- or PA-loaded

macrophages; further, an EA1 T-cell epitope was identified. The

results demonstrate that anthrax antigens other than PA might be

suitable for the generation of durable immune responses against anthrax.

PMID: 18166249

Meryl Nass, MD

Mount Desert Island Hospital

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

207 288-5081 ext. 220

http://anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com

http://www.anthraxvaccine.org