A non-toxic lectin for antigen delivery of plant-based mucosal vaccines

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 21; no. 9; pp. 997 - 1005
• Main Authors: Medina-Bolivar, Fabricio, Wright, Rhonda, Funk, Vanessa, Sentz, Danielle, Barroso, Lisa, Wilkins, Tracy D, Petri, William, Cramer, Carole L
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 14.02.2003; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adjuvant; Adjuvants, Immunologic - administration & dosage; Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Antibody Formation; Antigens - administration & dosage; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Carbohydrates; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Immunity, Mucosal; Immunization; Leaves; Lectins; Luminescent Proteins - administration & dosage; Luminescent Proteins - genetics; Luminescent Proteins - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Microbiology; Nicotiana - genetics; Plant-based vaccines; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plasmids; Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - administration & dosage; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Ricin; Ricin - administration & dosage; Ricin - genetics; Tobacco; Toxins; Vaccines; Vaccines - administration & dosage; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Waterborne diseases; Ricin; Plant-based vaccines; Adjuvant; Lectin; Immune response; Antibody; Toxoid; Mucosa; Rodentia; Vaccine; Intranasal administration; Antigen; Vertebrata; Local immunity; Mammalia; Mouse; Plant origin; Vector
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(02)00551-0

RicinB, the non-toxic galactose/ N-acetylgalactosamine-binding subunit of ricin, was fused to a model antigen, green fluorescent protein (GFP), and expressed in tobacco plants and hairy root cultures to test for utility in mucosal vaccine delivery/adjuvancy. The fusion protein retained both GFP fluorescence and galactose/galactosamine-binding activity. Intranasal immunization of mice with galactosamine-affinity purified ricinB:GFP recovered from tobacco root cultures triggered significant increases in GFP-specific serum IgGs. This strong humoral response was comparable to that observed following GFP immunization with cholera toxin adjuvant. GFP at the same concentrations but without an adjuvant was non-immunogenic. Induction of higher levels of IgG 1 than IgG 2a following ricinB:GFP immunization suggested the presence of a Th2 response. Serum and fecal anti-GFP IgA were also induced by immunization with ricinB:GFP. Our data suggest that ricinB can be used as an adjuvant and antigen carrier to the mucosa and is efficient in eliciting systemic and mucosal immune responses.