Induction of mucosal and systemic immune responses following oral immunization of mice withLactococcus lactisexpressing human papillomavirus type 16 L1

• Published in: Vaccine 2007-11, Vol.25 (47), p.8049
• Main Authors: Cho, Hee-Jeong, Shin, Hye-Jeong, Han, In-Kwon, Jung, Woon-Won, Kim, Young Bong, Sul, Donggeun, Oh, Yu-Kyoung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid production; Cervical cancer; Genes; Human papillomavirus; Immunization; Plasmids; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.09.024

Human papillomavirus type 16 L1 (HPV16 L1) has shown considerable promise as a parenteral vaccine for prevention of cervical cancers. Here, we report the possibility of oral vaccination for HPV16 L1 usingLactococcus lactis(L. lactis) as a live vector.L. lactisMG1363 was transformed with two types of HPV16 L1-encoding plasmids for intracellular expression or secretion.L. lactistransformed with HPV16 L1-encoding plasmids retained biochemical lactic acid production capability. The mucosal and systemic immune responses were affected by the cellular location of expressed HPV16 L1 proteins inL. lactis. Serum IgG responses were induced after oral immunizations ofL. lactissecreting HPV16 L1. Vaginal IgA immune responses were observed following oral immunization withL. lactisexpressing HPV16 L1 in an intracellular form, but not withL. lactissecreting HPV16 L1. Furthermore, induction of HPV16 L1-specific mucosal immune responses was affected by immunization frequency. Six immunizations over 5 weeks were required to induce vaginal immune responses. The levels of HPV16 L1-specific vaginal IgA were maintained until 12 weeks after the first vaccination. These results suggest the feasibility ofL. lactisas an oral vaccine vehicle of HPV16 L1 and demonstrate the importance of cellular loci of expressed antigen for induction of vaginal and systemic immune responses.