Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Immunity, Mucosal”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,117 records · Page 62Linked to original sources

Cutaneous vaccination: the skin as an immunologically active tissue and the challenge of antigen delivery.

Vaccination is one of the major achievements of modern medicine. As a result of vaccination, diseases such as polio and measles have been controlled and small pox has been eradicated. However, despite these successes there are still many microbial diseases that cause tremendous suffering because there is no vaccine or the vaccines available are inadequate. In addition, even if vaccines were available for all infectious diseases there is no guarantee that people would use them routinely. One of the major impediments to ensuring vaccine efficacy and compliance is that of delivery. Presently most vaccines are given by intramuscular administration. Unfortunately this is often traumatic, especially in infants. Thus, if it was possible to replace intramuscular immunization by mucosal (oral/intranasal) or transdermal delivery it may be possible to both enhance mucosal immunity as well as improve overall compliance rates. The transdermal route has been used by the pharmaceutical industry for the delivery of various low molecular weight drugs. Some of the approaches used for smaller compounds may also have potential for delivery of either protein or polynucleotide vaccines. However, there is a greater challenge to delivering large molecular weight molecules through the skin due to size, charge and other physicochemical properties. This review will describe the recent advances that have been made in dermal and topical delivery as related to vaccines.

Administration, Topical↗

Tetanus toxin fragment C-specific priming by intranasal infection with recombinant Bordetella pertussis.

As an alternative to parenteral administration, mucosal administration offers several advantages including the ease of administration, safety and the ability to induce mucosal immunity. As a first step towards nasal administration of important childhood vaccines, we have previously developed attenuated Bordetella pertussis strains able to protect mice against pertussis upon nasal vaccination. Since pertussis vaccines are generally combined with tetanus and diphtheria vaccines, we constructed recombinant B. pertussis strains producing the non-toxic protective tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC). TTFC was genetically fused to the N-terminal domain of the B. pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin. The hybrid gene was introduced into B. pertussis both on a multi-copy replicative plasmid and as a single copy inserted into the chromosome of a pertussis toxin-producing strain and a toxin-deficient attenuated strain. The hybrid protein was secreted by the recombinant strains. However, the recombinant multi-copy plasmid was unstable in vivo, and immunisation could only be carried out with the strains containing the single-copy chromosomal integration. Both the toxin-producing and the toxin-deficient recombinant B. pertussis strains were able to prime mice for the production of anti-TTFC serum antibodies upon intranasal administration, suggesting the feasibility of using recombinant attenuated B. pertussis for the development of combined childhood vaccines.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Protection against tetanus toxin after intragastric administration of two recombinant lactic acid bacteria: impact of strain viability and in vivo persistence.

Non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are attractive as live carriers to deliver protective antigens to the mucosal immune system. Both persisting and non-persisting strains of lactic acid bacteria have been evaluated and seem to work equally well by the systemic and nasal routes of administration. However, it is not known if persistence and viability of the strain play a critical role when immunizing by the oral route. To address this question, recombinant LAB strains, able to persist (Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB8826/pMEC127) or not (Lactococcus lactis MG1363/pMEC46) in the gastro-intestinal tract of mice and producing equivalent amounts of the tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC) were compared to each other. A very strong ELISA TTFC-specific and protective humoral response was elicited by either live or UV-inactivated recombinant Lb. plantarum strains. In a similar protocol, recombinant Lc. lactis seemed to be somewhat less efficient than the former host. It is thus tempting to propose that the difference in the capacity of the bacterial vector to persist in the gastro-intestinal tract impacts on its immunogenicity and on the level of protection it may induce. Protection was slightly superior after administration of live strains.

Administration, Oral↗

Stimulation of mucosal and systemic antibody responses against Bordetella pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin and recombinant pertussis toxin after nasal administration with chitosan in mice.

Mice were intranasally immunised with a mixture of Bordetella pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA) and recombinant pertussis toxin, PT-9K/129G (rPT) in combination with chitosan. For both antigens, this formulation induced systemic responses as measured by serum IgG and also mucosal responses as measured by secretory IgA in lung lavage and nasal washes. Immunosorbant assays were used to measure these responses. Both the systemic and mucosal responses were considerably higher than those produced when a mixture of rPT and FHA was administered nasally without chitosan. In comparison, intraperitoneally administered rPT/FHA adsorbed to Alhydrogel elicited only a systemic response, and nasal chitosan solution produced neither systemic nor mucosal response. This study clearly demonstrated that chitosan potentiated the serum and mucosal immune responses to nasally administered FHA and rPT in mice. Hence, this nasal chitosan delivery system has potential as a new non-injectable vaccine for the prophylaxis of whooping cough.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Efficient extracellular production of recombinant Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit by using the expression/secretion system of Bacillus brevis and its mucosal immunoadjuvanticity.

A gene encoding the mature Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) was introduced in a vector pNU212 and expressed at high levels in Bacillus brevis HPD31. The maximum amount of recombinant LTB (rLTB) secreted into the modified 5PY medium containing erythromycin was about 350 mg l(-1) when cultivated at 30 degrees C for 8 days. The rLTB purified directly from the culture supernatant by using D-galactose immobilized agarose was identical to the native LTB with respect to the molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and the amino terminal amino acid sequence. Western blot analysis with antiserum to cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) indicated that rLTB had cross-reactivity to native CTB and its GM1 binding ability was almost the same as that of the CTB. The rLTB predominantly showed the pentameric form when non-boiled samples were applied to SDS-PAGE. When rLTB was administered intranasally to mice with diphtheria toxoid (D(T)), it resulted in the substantial stimulation of D(T)-specific serum IgG antibody, and in the induction of moderate levels of D(T)-specific mucosal IgA antibody responses in the nasal cavities and in the lung, suggesting that purified rLTB acts as a promising immunoadjuvant on mucosal immunizations.

Administration, Intranasal↗

The F4 fimbrial antigen of Escherichia coli and its receptors.

F4 or K88 fimbriae are long filamentous polymeric surface proteins of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), consisting of so-called major (FaeG) and minor (FaeF, FaeH, FaeC, and probably FaeI) subunits. Several serotypes of F4 have been described, namely F4ab, F4ac, and F4ad. The F4 fimbriae allow the microorganisms to adhere to F4-specific receptors present on brush borders of villous enterocytes and consequently to colonize the small intestine. Such ETEC infections are responsible for diarrhea and mortality in neonatal and recently weaned pigs. In this review emphasis is put on the morphology, genetic configuration, and biosynthesis of F4 fimbriae. Furthermore, the localization of the different a, b, c, and d epitopes, and the localization of the receptor binding site on the FaeG major subunit of F4 get ample attention. Subsequently, the F4-specific receptors are discussed. When the three variants of F4 (F4ab, F4ac, and F4ad) are considered, six porcine phenotypes can be distinguished with regard to the brush border adhesiveness: phenotype A binds all three variants, phenotype B binds F4ab and F4ac, phenotype C binds F4ab and F4ad, phenotype D binds F4ad, phenotype E binds none of the variants, and phenotype F binds F4ab. The following receptor model is described: receptor bcd is found in phenotype A pigs, receptor bc is found in phenotype A and B pigs, receptor d is found in phenotype C and D pigs, and receptor b is found in phenotype F pigs. Furthermore, the characterization of the different receptors is described in which the bcd receptor is proposed as collection of glycoproteins with molecular masses ranging from 45 to 70 kDa, the bc receptor as two glycoproteins with molecular masses of 210 an 240 kDa, respectively, the b receptor as a glycoprotein of 74 kDa, and the d receptor as a glycosphingolipid with unknown molecular mass. Finally, the importance of F4 fimbriae and their receptors in the study of mucosal immunity in pigs is discussed.

Animals↗

Plants for delivery of edible vaccines.

Over the past decade, scientific advances in molecular biology and immunology have improved understanding of many diseases and led to the development of novel strategies for vaccination. The development of plants expressing vaccine antigens is a particularly promising approach. Plant-derived antigenic proteins have delayed or prevented the onset of disease in animals and have proven to be safe and functional in human clinical trials. Future areas of research should further characterize the induction of the mucosal immune system and appropriate crop species for delivery of animal and human vaccines.

Administration, Oral↗

Novel functions of the polymeric Ig receptor: well beyond transport of immunoglobulins.

The polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR) ensures efficient secretion of polymeric IgA (pIgA) at mucosal surfaces. On basal to apical transport across epithelial cells, the pIgR extracellular domain is cleaved, releasing secretory component (SC) in association with pIgA. This finds its raison d'être in the recent observation that SC is directly involved in the protective function of secretory IgA. In addition, free SC exhibits scavenger properties with respect to enteric pathogens. However, although pIgR dedicates its life to mucosal protection, it also seems to permit pathogen entrance through the epithelial barrier. The multiple mechanisms that they are involved in make pIgR and SC instrumental to mucosal immunity.

Animals↗

Probiotics: what are they? What are their effects on gut physiology?

Probiotics can be defined as microbial cells that have a beneficial effect on the health and well-being of the host. Since the gastrointestinal mucosa is the surface of contact with probiotics, it seems evident that the first effects of probiotics relate to digestive function. A brief review of the literature indicates that probiotics have very few effects on the main physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract, which are digestion, absorption and propulsion. The main action of probiotics can be summarised as a reinforcement of the intestinal mucosal barrier against deleterious agents. Experimental data indicate that some probiotics reduce pathological alterations in paracellular permeability to large molecules or bacteria, stimulate mucosal immunity, display a trophic action on the mucosa, reduce mucus degradation and interact with mediators of inflammation. Yoghurt may help lactose digestion, and some data needing confirmation indicate a stimulation of water absorption and an acceleration of intestinal transit by some bacteria.

Animals↗

Importance of the host specificity in the selection of probiotic bacteria.

The gastrointestinal tract is a complex and dynamic ecosystem. Commensal microorganisms (C), which proliferate in the intestine from birth, are crucial for gut homeostasis while non commensal (NC) microorganisms are transient and enter the organism from the environment and foods. We studied comparatively the influence of oral administration of C and NC Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacilus acidophilus on the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of conventional mice. To determine the importance of the selection of probiotic host-specificity bacteria with immunomodulating capacity, we examined the interaction with the gut by transmission electron microscopy and FITC-labelled bacteria. We compared the immunomodulation capacities of C and NC strains by studying the number of IgA secreting cells and cytokine profile. No differences were found in the number of IgA+ cells; however, the pattern of cytokine response to C and NC bacteria was different. With regard to proinflammatory cytokine (IFNgamma and TNFalpha), we found that TNFalpha was mainly produced by NC bacteria, while C bacteria were able to elicit mainly IFNgamma. The regulatory cytokines (IL-10 and IL-4) were induced with different patterns for both C and NC strains. No differences in the pathway of internalization to the gut between C and NC were found. In summary, we determined that C and NC bacteria interact with the intestine in the same way; both C and NC bacteria were able to reinforce the surveillance of the gut mucosal immune system. The cytokine profile showed that C bacteria would be involved in the regulation of intestinal homeostasis rather than in the immune activation as the NC bacteria.

Administration, Oral↗

Nanosphere induced gene expression in human dendritic cells.

The molecular mechanisms of nanosphere-induced mucosal immunization are important to decipher, since this can form the basis for novel approaches in, e.g., nasal vaccination. In this study, we have investigated the effect of nanospheres as antigen carriers on immature human dendritic cells. The results clearly indicate that tetanus toxoid immobilized nanospheres have a direct effect on human monocyte derived dendritic cells and induce a specific transcriptional profile involving genes crucial for phagocytosis and a protective immune response.

B7-2 Antigen↗

Multiple accumulation of Vdelta2+ gammadelta T-cell clonotypes in intestinal mucosa from patients with Crohn's disease.

The gammadeltaT cells have been known to play an important role in the regulation of the mucosal immune system, but the relationship between these cells and the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) has remained obscure. We now demonstrate the T-cell receptor (TCR) Vdelta2 gene transcripts characterize antigenic immune response in the intestinal mucosa from patients with CD. TCR Vdelta2 gene transcripts of six patients with CD and six controls were subcloned and 20 randomly selected clones from each sample were subjected to nucleotide sequencing. Sequence analysis demonstrated that the different clones in the intestinal mucosa of CD were significantly increased (11.833 +/- 0.946) compared to controls (7.167 +/- 1.470) (P = 0.0374). The presence of intraindividual dominance and oligoclonality of TCR Vdelta2 gene transcripts in normal controls appears reflect positive selection and expansion of specific gammadelta T cells in normal controls. By contrast TCR Vdelta2 gene transcripts in the intestinal mucosa of CD can express different clonotypes. We conclude that accumulation of multiple Vdelta2+ gammadelta T-cell clonotypes are involved in the pathogenesis of CD.

Adolescent↗

The antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin protects the urinary tract against invasive bacterial infection.

The urinary tract functions in close proximity to the outside environment, yet must remain free of microbial colonization to avoid disease. The mechanisms for establishing an antimicrobial barrier in this area are not completely understood. Here, we describe the production and function of the cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides LL-37, its precursor hCAP-18 and its ortholog CRAMP in epithelial cells of human and mouse urinary tract, respectively. Bacterial contact with epithelial cells resulted in rapid production and secretion of the respective peptides, and in humans LL-37/hCAP-18 was released into urine. Epithelium-derived cathelicidin substantially contributed to the protection of the urinary tract against infection, as shown using CRAMP-deficient and neutrophil-depleted mice. In addition, clinical E. coli strains that were more resistant to LL-37 caused more severe urinary tract infections than did susceptible strains. Thus, cathelicidin seems to be a key factor in mucosal immunity of the urinary tract.

Animals↗

Role of yoghurt in the prevention of colon cancer.

The beneficial effect of yoghurt consumption on health and on the improvement of the mucosal immune system is well established, as is the diet-associated risk of colon cancer. In an experimental model in BALB/c mice we demonstrated that yoghurt added to the diet for 10 consecutive days, with the procedure repeated each 10 days for 6 months, inhibited the development of a colorectal carcinoma induced by 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The immunoregulatory mechanisms involved in the inhibition of tumour growth by yoghurt were also examined in these studies. We determined B lymphocytes IgA(+) and IgG(+), as well as CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the large intestine. We measured cellular apoptosis and the cytokines TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-10. An increase in the number of IgA(+) (P<0.01) was observed, but not in IgG(+) (P<0.01), or in the CD4(+) population (P<0.01) in the mice treated with DMH and yoghurt. While in the group with the carcinogen there was an enhancement in the IgG(+) B cells (P<0.01) and CD8(+) T cells (P<0.01). Yoghurt increased the number of apoptotic cells and induced IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha cytokine release, their production being regulated by an increase in IL-10 (P<0.001). We demonstrated that yoghurt may exert antitumour activity by a decrease in the inflammatory immune response mediated by IgA(+) increase, apoptosis induction and IL-10 release.

Animals↗

Neutrophil CD11b, L-selectin and Fc IgA receptors in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis.

BACKGROUND: The skin lesions found in patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) are characterized by the presence of neutrophils at the dermal papillary tips in areas where the diagnostic cutaneous IgA deposits are found. Although the presence of the skin lesions of DH is known to be associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy, the mechanisms that control the development of skin lesions are not known. OBJECTIVES: To determine if circulating neutrophils from patients with DH have evidence of priming as shown by increased expression of CD11b, decreased expression of L-selectin and increased function of neutrophil Fc IgA receptor. METHODS: Neutrophils from 12 normal subjects and 10 DH patients with active, ongoing disease and 14 DH patients with quiescent disease activity were examined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter for expression of cell surface CD11b, L-selectin expression, Fc IgA expression (CD89) and for the function of the Fc IgA receptor by determining the binding capacity of neutrophils for monoclonal human IgA. RESULTS: Neutrophils from patients with active, ongoing DH had increased expression of CD11b when compared with patients with inactive DH or normal subjects [mean net geometric mean channel fluorescence (GMCF): active DH, 403.3; inactive DH, 237.8; normal subjects, 290.5; P < 0.05]. L-selectin expression in both groups of DH patients was significantly lower than that seen in normal subjects (mean net GMCF: active DH, 363.2; inactive DH, 375.2; normal subjects, 432.7; P < 0.05). No difference in CD89 expression was seen in any of the groups; however, the function of Fc IgA receptor was increased in patients with active DH when compared with patients with inactive DH and normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Neutrophils from patients with active, ongoing DH show an increased expression of CD11b, decreased expression of L-selectin and increased ability to bind IgA, consistent with a pattern of priming of the neutrophils. This priming may occur in the gut as a result of the ongoing mucosal immune response that is present in patients with DH on a gluten-containing diet and may predispose neutrophils to localize in the skin of patients with DH.

Adult↗

Isolation and phenotypic characterization of colonic macrophages.

Macrophages play an important role in the intestinal mucosal immune system. However, they are a poorly defined cell population. We therefore determined their phenotype in normal colonic mucosa. Macrophages were isolated from colonic biopsies and surgical specimens by collagenase digestion. Colonic macrophages were positively sorted by anti-CD33 magnetic beads. Flow cytometric triple fluorescence analysis was applied to study CD14, CD16, CD33, CD44, CD11b, CD11c, CD64, HLA-DR, CD80, CD86 and CD3/CD19 expression. CD33 was evaluated as a positive marker for intestinal macrophages. CD33+ cells isolated from normal colonic mucosa showed co-expression of the established intracellular macrophage marker CD68 in FACS analysis. CD33+ cells were capable of phagocytosis. Isolation of this cell population by magnetic anti-CD33 beads and culture resulted in a 4.2-40-fold increase in IL-1beta and 4.5-44-fold increase in tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion compared with unsorted lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC). Of the CD33+ cells, 90.9 +/- 6.9% (mean +/- s.d.) were CD44+. However, macrophages from colonic mucosa showed only a low expression of CD14 (10.5 +/- 3.8%), CD16 (10.1 +/- 3.9%), HLA-DR (27.3 +/- 9.2%), CD11b (17.4 +/- 6.8%), CD11c (17.8 +/- 10.4%). Furthermore, expression of CD80 (9.2 +/- 4.2%) and CD86 (15.1 +/- 7.3%) was low, suggesting a low ability of normal intestinal macrophages to activate T cells and T cell-mediated immune responses. We conclude that CD33 is useful for the isolation and flow cytometric characterization of colonic macrophages. These cells exhibit a single phenotype in normal mucosa (CD33++, CD44++, CD14-, CD16-, CD11b-, CD11c-, HLA-DRlow, CD80-, CD86-) lacking lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor and costimulatory molecules.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

A novel concept in mucosal adjuvanticity: the CTA1-DD adjuvant is a B cell-targeted fusion protein that incorporates the enzymatically active cholera toxin A1 subunit.

A promising novel concept in mucosal adjuvant research is demonstrated here. The adjuvant and toxic effects of the cholera toxin (CT) have been successfully separated in a gene fusion protein, CTA1-DD. This protein consists of the ADP-ribosylating A1 subunit of CT linked to a synthetic analogue of protein A. The CTA1-DD protein was found to exert comparable adjuvant activity to that of CT after systemic as well as mucosal immunizations with soluble protein antigens, such as KLH or ovalbumin (OVA). However, contrary to CT it was completely non-toxic. The CTA1-DD approach to the construction of a potential vaccine adjuvant is unique and highly promising. Conceptually, the CTA1-DD fusion protein demonstrates that: (i) contrary to CT the CTA1-DD is a highly targeted adjuvant, directed to B cells and possibly other antigen-presenting cells; (ii) it is possible to introduce ADP-ribosyltransferase activity into cells via an alternative pathway to the GM1 receptor pathway used by CTB; (iii) the adjuvant effect of CTA1-DD, and possibly also of CT, depend on the enzymatic activity; and (iv) one possible mechanism, shared by CT, that may explain the adjuvant effect of CTA1-DD is its ability to induce expression of the costimulatory molecule CD86 on B cells.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Mouse M290 is the functional homologue of the human mucosal lymphocyte integrin HML-1: antagonism between the integrin ligands E-cadherin and RGD tripeptide.

Human mucosal lymphocyte antigen-1 (HML-1, alphaEbeta7) and E-cadherin, two members of unrelated cell adhesion superfamilies, have evolved to play cooperative roles in gut mucosal immunity. Human E-cadherin is self-ligand mediating intercellular adhesion of epithelial cells, as well as adhesion of intra-epithelial lymphocytes to intestinal enterocytes via an interaction with HML-1. Herein we report that both dimeric and monomeric forms of recombinant mouse E-cadherin-human immunoglobulin Fc chimera self-associate and support attachment of E-cadherin+ mouse colon epithelial cells. Both forms also support the adhesion of mouse MTC-1 T cells via M290, thereby establishing M290 as the functional mouse homologue of HML-1 and revealing that E-cadherin homophilic and heterophilic binding sites are distinct. Adhesion of MTC-1 cells to E-cadherin-Fc was inhibited by arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptides and vice versa cells bound to immobilized RGD polymer in an M290-dependent fashion, where adhesion was inhibitable with soluble E-cadherin-Fc. Hence, E-cadherin and RGD integrin ligands antagonize cell binding by one another, either by inducing integrin cross-talk or by binding to shared or overlapping sites within M290. Binding of E-cadherin-Fc by HML-1 costimulated the CD3-induced proliferation of purified CD4+ T cells, suggesting that E-cadherin expressed on dendritic cells may play a T cell costimulatory role in addition to facilitating dendritic cell-keratinocyte adhesion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗