Assembly, Biochemical Characterization, Immunogenicity, Adjuvanticity, and Efficacy ofShigellaArtificial Invaplex
ABSTRACTThe native Invaplex (InvaplexNAT) vaccine and adjuvant is an ion exchange-purified product derived from the water extract of virulentShigellaspecies. The key component of InvaplexNATis a high-molecular-mass complex (HMMC) consisting of theShigellalipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the invasin proteins IpaB and IpaC. To improve product purity and immunogenicity, artificial Invaplex (InvaplexAR) was developed using recombinant IpaB and IpaC proteins and purifiedShigellaLPS to assemble an HMMC consisting of all three components. Characterization of InvaplexARby various methods demonstrated similar characteristics as the previously reported HMMC in InvaplexNAT. The well-defined InvaplexARvaccine consistently contained greater quantities of IpaB, IpaC, and LPS than InvaplexNAT. InvaplexARand InvaplexNATimmunogenicities were compared in mouse and guinea pig dose escalation studies. In both models, immunization induced antibody responses specific for InvaplexNATand LPS while InvaplexARinduced markedly higher anti-IpaB and -IpaC serum IgG and IgA endpoint titers. In the murine model, homologous protection was achieved with 10-fold less InvaplexARthan InvaplexNATand mice receiving InvaplexARlost significantly less weight than mice receiving the same amount of InvaplexNAT. Moreover, mice immunized with InvaplexARwere protected from challenge with both homologous and heterologousShigellaserotypes. Guinea pigs receiving approximately 5-fold less InvaplexARcompared to cohorts immunized with InvaplexNATwere protected from ocular challenge. Furthermore, adjuvanticity previously attributed to InvaplexNATwas retained with InvaplexAR. The second-generationShigellaInvaplex vaccine, InvaplexAR, offers significant advantages over InvaplexNATin reproducibility, flexible yet defined composition, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy.IMPORTANCEShigellaspecies are bacteria that cause severe diarrheal disease worldwide, primarily in young children. Treatment of shigellosis includes oral fluids and antibiotics, but the high burden of disease, increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, and long-term health consequences clearly warrant the development of an effective vaccine. OneShigellavaccine under development is termed the invasin complex or Invaplex and is designed to drive an immune response to specific antigens of the bacteria in an effort to protect an individual from infection. The work presented here describes the production and evaluation of a new generation of Invaplex. The improved vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies in immunized mice and guinea pigs and protects these animals fromShigellainfection. The next step in the product’s development will be to test the safety and immune response induced in humans immunized with Invaplex.