Flagellin Enhances Saliva IgA Response and Protection of Anti-caries DNA Vaccine

• Published in: Journal of dental research Vol. 91; no. 3; pp. 249 - 254
• Main Authors: Shi, W., Li, Y.H., Liu, F., Yang, J.Y., Zhou, D.H., Chen, Y.Q., Zhang, Y., Yang, Y., He, B.X., Han, C., Fan, M.W., Yan, H.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2012; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology; Antigens; Colonization; Dental caries; Dental Caries - prevention & control; Dentistry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA vaccines; Female; Flagellin; Flagellin - immunology; FliC protein; Immunization; Immunogenicity; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory - immunology; Immunoglobulin G; Infections; Laboratory animals; Mucosa; Physiology; Plasmids; Proteins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Rodents; Saliva; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - immunology; Salmonella; Salmonella - immunology; Streptococcus infections; Streptococcus mutans - immunology; Sucrose; Teeth; Vaccines; Vaccines, DNA - administration & dosage; Vaccines, DNA - immunology; Virology; Virulence Factors; West Nile virus; United States > US; China; dental caries; DNA vaccine; IgA; flagellin; PAc; adjuvant
• ISSN: 0022-0345; 1544-0591
• DOI: 10.1177/0022034511424283

We and others have shown that anti-caries DNA vaccines, including pGJA-P/VAX, are promising for preventing dental caries. However, challenges remain because of the low immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. In this study, we used recombinant flagellin protein derived from Salmonella (FliC) as a mucosal adjuvant for anti-caries DNA vaccine (pGJA-P/VAX) and analyzed the effects of FliC protein on the serum PAc-specific IgG and saliva PAc-specific IgA antibody responses, the colonization of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) on rat teeth, and the formation of caries lesions. Our results showed that FliC promoted the production of PAc-specific IgG in serum and secretory IgA (S-IgA) in saliva of rats by intranasal immunization with pGJA-P/VAX plus FliC. Furthermore, we found that enhanced PAc-specific IgA responses in saliva were associated with the inhibition of S. mutans colonization of tooth surfaces and endowed better protection with significant fewer caries lesions. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that recombinant FliC could enhance specific IgA responses in saliva and protective ability of pGJA-P/VAX, providing an effective mucosal adjuvant candidate for intranasal immunization of an anti-caries DNA vaccine.