Use of Galectin-8 as an Adjuvant of Inactivated Vaccine of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus

MARIA VIRGINIA TRIBULATTI; CARABELLI, JULIETA; VALERIA QUATTROCCHI; PATRICIA ZAMORANO; ALEJANDRA D'ANTUONO; CAMPETELLA, OSCAR

Seattle

Congreso; The Modes of Action of Vaccines Adjuvants; 2014

Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology

Galectins are mammalian lectins with affinity for beta-galactosides that bind glycoreceptors on target cells and play several roles in the immune system. We have focused our interest in Galectin-8 (Gal-8) given its pro-inflammatory activitiy and its capacity to enhance adaptive antigen-specific immune response in vivo. Foot and mouth virus disease (FMDV) infects cloven-hoofed animals, causing a highly contagious illness that bears high relevance in terms of economic losses. Current FMDV vaccines consist of inactivated whole-virus preparations formulated with adjuvants, which have been highly successful in reducing the number of outbreaks in many parts of the world. Considering that FMVD-inactivated vaccine represents a well-stablished model to critically analize Gal-8 immunostimulatory capacity, we investigated wether Gal-8 is able to act as an adjuvant in the experimental BALB/c murine model. Results demonstrate that replacement of oil adjuvant by a single dose of Gal-8 co-administered with antigen during immunization, elicits an specific humoral and cellular response, at comparable levels to conventional vaccine. Furthermore, the immune response induced by Gal-8-formulated vaccine were effective since it reduced viraemia and increased the number of protected individuals after viral challenge. This is the first time that a member of the galectin family is used as an adjuvant with effective results, thus opening new possibilities for their application in the immunopharmacology field.