Conjugation of PEG-hexadecane markedly increases the immunogenicity of pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine. Issue 13 (23rd March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Xin; Yu, Weili; Ji, Shaoyang; Shen, Lijuan; Tan, Aijuan; Hu, Tao
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 35:Issue 13(2017)
• Page Start: 1698
• Page End: 1704
• Publication Date: 2017-03-23
• Subjects: Streptococcus pneumoniae -- Hexadecane -- Polyethylene glycol -- Adjuvant; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.02.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Highlights: PEG-HD is an adjuvant to potentiate a robust humoral and cellular immunity. Conjugation of PS-TT with PEG-HD markedly increased the PS-specific IgG titers. Conjugation with PEG-HD markedly increased in the IFN-γ and IL-5 levels. Abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a serious Gram-positive pathogen that can lead to an invasive pneumococcal disease with high mortality rate. Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PS) is a key virulence determinant and its immunogenicity can be increased by conjugation with a carrier protein. However, the PS-specific cellular and humoral immunity of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine needs further improvement. Hexadecane (HD) is an element of lipid that decorates the surface of nearly all microbial classes. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-HD conjugate (PEG-HD) is soluble and can act as an adjuvant. In the present study, a novel pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine was prepared by conjugation of tetanus toxoid (TT) portion of PS-TT conjugate (PS-TT) with PEG-HD. As compared with PS-TT, conjugation with PEG-HD led to an 8.0-fold increase in the PS-specific IgG titers. Conjugation with PEG-HD also gave rise to 34.9-, 3.6- and 7.7-fold increase in the IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-5 levels, respectively. Thus, the conjugated PEG-HD has a stimulatory adjuvant activity to potentiate a robust humoral and cellular immunity. Our proposed conjugate was expected to act as an effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of S. pneumoniae infections.