ABSTRACT
The Surface Immunogenic Protein (SIP) of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) had been described as a good target for vaccine development. To date, SIP has been reported as a highly conserved protein, and in a mouse model it induces protection against lethal GBS challenge. Also, similar effects have been described by intranasal immunization with a SIP-based vaccine. In this study, we show the immune response induced by an oral SIP-based vaccine formulated on alum in a mouse model. Our vaccine can reduce vaginal GBS colonization and induce specific SIP-antibodies with opsonophagocytosis activities against GBS. Moreover, we observed the activation of T-cells producing IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-2, and increased expression of the transcription factor T-bet, suggesting a Th1-type humoral response. The oral SIP-based vaccine is a novel alternative in the development of a vaccine against GBS.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Bacterial/immunology , Streptococcal Infections/immunology , Streptococcus agalactiae/immunology , Vaccines/immunology , Vagina/immunology , Administration, Oral , Alum Compounds/administration & dosage , Alum Compounds/chemistry , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology , Antigens, Bacterial/chemistry , Female , HL-60 Cells , Humans , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Streptococcal Infections/microbiology , Streptococcal Infections/prevention & control , Streptococcus agalactiae/drug effects , Streptococcus agalactiae/physiology , Vaccination/methods , Vaccines/administration & dosage , Vaccines/chemistry , Vagina/drug effects , Vagina/microbiologyABSTRACT
In the current communication we describe an innovative method to purify saxitoxin (STX), a toxin presents in contaminated muscle of Mylitus chilensis extracted in the southern part of Chile, using a liquid chromatographic methodology based on ionic pairs. The STX was extracted using HCl and treated with ammonium sulfate following a treatment with trichloroacetic acid and hexane/diethyl ether (97/3). The samples were analyzed by a semi-preparative HPLC in order to collect pure fractions of STX and these fractions were eluted in solid-phase cationic interchange SCX extraction columns. The purified STX was stable and homogeneous and its identity was confirmed by LC-MS-MS, which demonstrated a high quality purification of STX, without presence of analogs such as neosaxitoxin (Neo) and decarbamoyl saxitoxin (dcSTX). The STX biological activity was analyzed in a bioassay in mice model and compared to the standard STX produced by the FDA and no significant differences were observed.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Mytilus/chemistry , Saxitoxin/isolation & purification , Ammonium Sulfate/chemistry , Animals , Chile , Chromatography, Liquid , Hydrochloric Acid/chemistry , Mice , Saxitoxin/chemistry , Solid Phase Extraction/methods , Tandem Mass SpectrometryABSTRACT
Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of up to 50% of healthy adults and newborns; it is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Early detection can be used to establish the use of antibiotic prophylaxis to significantly reduce neonatal sepsis. This article reviews methods of detection and prevention of GBS infection in the neonate.
