Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 antigens produced in transgenic lettuce effective as an oral vaccine in mice

SU, YUN-LIN; LARZÁBAL, MARIANO; SONG, HUAN; CHENG, TIANFANG; WANG, YUFANG; SMITH, LIBIA YAEL; CATALDI, ANGEL ADRIAN; OW, DAVID W.

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2023 vol. 136

0040-5752

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is a food-borne pathogen where ruminant farm animals, mainly bovine, serve as reservoirs. Bovine vaccination has been used to prevent disease outbreaks, and the current method relies on vaccines subcutaneously injected three times per year. Since EHEC O157:H7 colonizes mucosal surfaces, an oral vaccine that produces an IgA response could be more convenient. Here, we report on oral vaccination against EHEC O157:H7 in mice orally gavaged with transgenic lettuce that produces EHEC O157:H7 antigens EspB and γ-intimin C280. Younger leaves accumulated a higher concentration of antigens; and in unexpanded leaves of 30-day-old T2 plants, EspB and γ-intimin C280 were up to 32 and 51 μg/g fresh weight, respectively. Mice orally gavaged with lettuce powders containing