Abstract
Leptospirosis, a worldwide zoonosis, lacks an effective, safe, and cross-protective vaccine. LipL32, the most abundant, immunogenic, and conserved surface lipoprotein present in all pathogenic species of Leptospira, is a promising antigen candidate for a recombinant vaccine. However, several studies have reported a lack of protection when this protein is used as a subunit vaccine. In an attempt to enhance the immune response, we used LipL32 coupled to or coadministered with the B subunit of the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LTB) in a hamster model of leptospirosis. After homologous challenge with 5× the 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of Leptospira interrogans, animals vaccinated with LipL32 coadministered with LTB and LTB::LipL32 had significantly higher survival rates (P < 0.05) than animals from the control group. This is the first report of a protective immune response afforded by a subunit vaccine using LipL32 and represents an important contribution toward the development of improved leptospirosis vaccines.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / administration & dosage
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / immunology*
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Bacterial Toxins / administration & dosage
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Bacterial Toxins / immunology*
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Bacterial Vaccines / administration & dosage
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Bacterial Vaccines / immunology*
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Cricetinae
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Disease Models, Animal
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Enterotoxins / administration & dosage
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Enterotoxins / immunology*
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Escherichia coli Proteins / administration & dosage
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Escherichia coli Proteins / immunology*
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Female
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Leptospira interrogans / immunology
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Leptospirosis / immunology
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Leptospirosis / mortality
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Leptospirosis / prevention & control*
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Lipoproteins / administration & dosage
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Lipoproteins / immunology*
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Survival Analysis
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Vaccination / methods
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Vaccines, Subunit / administration & dosage
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Vaccines, Subunit / immunology
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Vaccines, Synthetic / administration & dosage
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Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
Substances
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Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
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Bacterial Toxins
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Bacterial Vaccines
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Enterotoxins
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Escherichia coli Proteins
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LipL32 protein, Leptospira
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Lipoproteins
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Vaccines, Subunit
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Vaccines, Synthetic
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heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli