Evaluation of the efficacy of Outer Membrane Protein 31 vaccine formulations for protection against Brucella canis in BALB/c mice.

CLAUSE M; DÍAZ AG; IBAÑEZ AE; CASSATARO J; GIAMBARTOLOMEI GH; ESTEIN SM

CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY

AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2014

1556-6811

Canine brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram negative bacterium Brucella canis. Unlike conventional control programs for other species of the genus Brucella, currently there is no vaccine available against canine brucellosis and preventive measures are based only in diagnosis and isolation of infected dogs. New approaches are therefore needed to develop an effective and safe immunization strategy against this zoonotic pathogen. In this study, BALB/c mice were subcutaneously immunized with: a) the recombinant (r) Brucella Omp31 antigen formulated in different adjuvants (Incomplete Freund Adjuvant, Aluminum Hydroxide, Quil A and Montanide IMS 3012 VGPR), b) the plasmid pCIOmp31 or c) pCIOmp31 plasmid followed by boosting with rOmp31. The immune response and the protective efficacy against B. canis infection were characterized. The different strategies induced a strong immunoglobulin G (IgG) response. Besides, spleen cells from rOmp31-immunized mice produced gamma-interferon and IL-4 after in vitro stimulation with rOmp31, indicating the induction of a mixed Th1-Th2 response. Recombinant Omp31 administered with different adjuvants as well as the prime-boost strategy conferred protection against B. canis. In conclusion, our results suggest that Omp31 could be a useful candidate for the development of a subcellular vaccine against B. canis infection.