CD4⺠T-cell immunity in the female genital tract is critically dependent on local mucosal immunization.
Eur J Immunol
; 41(9): 2642-53, 2011 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21681740
ABSTRACT
Immunizations via the i.n. and intravaginal (ivag) routes effectively generate strong genital tract antibody-mediated immunity. To what extent the same is true for T-cell responses is incompletely known. Therefore, we set out to investigate optimal conditions for stimulation of genital tract CD4(+) T-cell responses, using adoptive transfer of mouse DO11.10 TCR transgenic T cells specific for OVA and OVA conjugated to cholera toxin (CT) as an immunogen. We observed that progesterone was required for a T-cell response following ivag immunization, whereas estradiol prevented a response. Although i.n. immunization stimulated OVA-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses in the draining LNs, it was substantially less effective compared to ivag. More importantly, an ivag booster immunization was absolutely required to attract T cells to the genital tract mucosa itself. While clinical use of CT is precluded because of its toxicity, we developed a combined adjuvant vector based on a non-toxic derivative of CT and immune-stimulating complexes. The CTA1-DD/immune-stimulating complexes (ISCOMs) adjuvant together with major outer membrane protein was effective at stimulating genital tract CD4(+) T-cell immunity and protection against a live chlamydial infection, which holds promise for the development of mucosal vaccines against sexually transmitted infections.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
/
Immunity, Mucosal
/
Genitalia, Female
Limits:
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Eur J Immunol
Year:
2011
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sweden