Immunospecific responses to bacterial elongation factor Tu during Burkholderia infection and immunization

PLoS One. 2010 Dec 17;5(12):e14361. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014361.

Abstract

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the etiological agent of melioidosis, a disease endemic in parts of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. Currently there is no licensed vaccine against infection with this biological threat agent. In this study, we employed an immunoproteomic approach and identified bacterial Elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu) as a potential vaccine antigen. EF-Tu is membrane-associated, secreted in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), and immunogenic during Burkholderia infection in the murine model of melioidosis. Active immunization with EF-Tu induced antigen-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Mucosal immunization with EF-Tu also reduced lung bacterial loads in mice challenged with aerosolized B. thailandensis. Our data support the utility of EF-Tu as a novel vaccine immunogen against bacterial infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / chemistry
  • Burkholderia Infections / metabolism
  • Burkholderia Infections / microbiology*
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional / methods
  • Female
  • Immune System
  • Melioidosis / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Peptide Elongation Factor Tu / metabolism*
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods
  • Stem Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Peptide Elongation Factor Tu