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BMC Infectious Diseases
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Mycobacterium Tuberculosis | Research article

A multiple T cell epitope comprising DNA vaccine boosts the protective efficacy of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Authors: Sudeep Kumar Maurya, Mohammad Aqdas, Deepjyoti Kumar Das, Sanpreet Singh, Sajid Nadeem, Gurpreet Kaur, Javed Naim Agrewala

Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Approximately 80% - 90% of individuals infected with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remain protected throughout their life-span. The release of unique, latent-phase antigens are known to have a protective role in the immune response against Mtb. Although the BCG vaccine has been administered for nine decades to provide immunity against Mtb, the number of TB cases continues to rise, thereby raising doubts on BCG vaccine efficacy. The shortcomings of BCG have been associated with inadequate processing and presentation of its antigens, an inability to optimally activate T cells against Mtb, and generation of regulatory T cells. Furthermore, BCG vaccination lacks the ability to eliminate latent Mtb infection. With these facts in mind, we selected six immunodominant CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes of Mtb expressed during latent, acute, and chronic stages of infection and engineered a multi-epitope-based DNA vaccine (C6).

Result

BALB/c mice vaccinated with the C6 construct along with a BCG vaccine exhibited an expansion of both CD4 and CD8 T cell memory populations and augmented IFN-γ and TNF-α cytokine release. Furthermore, enhancement of dendritic cell and macrophage activation was noted. Consequently, illustrating the elicitation of immunity that helps in the protection against Mtb infection; which was evident by a significant reduction in the Mtb burden in the lungs and spleen of C6 + BCG administered animals.

Conclusion

Overall, the results suggest that a C6 + BCG vaccination approach may serve as an effective vaccination strategy in future attempts to control TB.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
A multiple T cell epitope comprising DNA vaccine boosts the protective efficacy of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors
Sudeep Kumar Maurya
Mohammad Aqdas
Deepjyoti Kumar Das
Sanpreet Singh
Sajid Nadeem
Gurpreet Kaur
Javed Naim Agrewala
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Infectious Diseases / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2334
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-020-05372-1

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