Generation of protective immunity against Orientia tsutsugamushi infection by immunization with a zinc oxide nanoparticle combined with ScaA antigen. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ha, Na-Young; Shin, Hyun; Sharma, Prashant; Cho, Hyun; Min, Chan-Ki; Kim, Hong-il; Yen, Nguyen; Kang, Jae-Seung; Kim, Ik-Sang; Choi, Myung-Sik; Kim, Young; Cho, Nam-Hyuk
• Is Part Of: Journal of nanobiotechnology. Volume 14:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 12
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Zinc oxide nanoparticle -- ZnO binding peptide -- Scrub typhus -- Vaccine; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 660.6
• DOI: 10.1186/s12951-016-0229-2
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-3155

Abstract

Abstract Background Zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZNP) has been applied in various biomedical fields. Here, we investigated the usage of ZNP as an antigen carrier for vaccine development by combining a high affinity peptide to ZNP. Results A novel zinc oxide-binding peptide (ZBP), FPYPGGDA, with high affinity to ZNP (K a = 2.26 × 106 M−1 ) was isolated from a random peptide library and fused with a bacterial antigen, ScaA ofOrientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus. The ZNP/ZBP-ScaA complex was efficiently phagocytosed by a dendritic cell line, DC2.4, in vitro and significantly enhanced anti-ScaA antibody responses in vivo compared to control groups. In addition, immunization with the ZNP/ZBP-ScaA complex promoted the generation of IFN-γ-secreting T cells in an antigen-dependent manner. Finally, we observed that ZNP/ZBP-ScaA immunization provided protective immunity against lethal challenge ofO. tsutsugamushi, indicating that ZNP can be used as a potent adjuvant when complexed with ZBP-conjugated antigen. Conclusions ZNPs possess good adjuvant potential as a vaccine carrier when combined with an antigen having a high affinity to ZNP. When complexed with ZBP-ScaA antigen, ZNPs could induce strong antibody responses as well as protective immunity against lethal challenges ofO. tsutsugamushi . Therefore, application of ZNPs combined with a specific soluble antigen could be a promising strategy as a novel vaccine carrier system.