Immunologic memory induced by a glycoconjugate vaccine in a murine adoptive lymphocyte transfer model

Infect Immun. 1998 May;66(5):2026-32. doi: 10.1128/IAI.66.5.2026-2032.1998.

Abstract

We have developed an adoptive cell transfer model in mice to study the ability of a glycoprotein conjugate vaccine to induce immunologic memory for the polysaccharide moiety. We used type III capsular polysaccharide from the clinically relevant pathogen group B streptococci conjugated to tetanus toxoid (GBSIII-TT) as our model vaccine. GBS are a major cause of neonatal infections in humans, and type-specific antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide protect against invasive disease. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes from mice immunized with the GBSIII-TT conjugate vaccine conferred anti-polysaccharide immunologic memory to naive recipient mice. The transfer of memory occurred in a dose-dependent manner. The observed anamnestic immune response was characterized by (i) more rapid kinetics, (ii) isotype switching from immunoglobulin M (IgM) to IgG, and (iii) 10-fold-higher levels of type III-specific IgG antibody than for the primary response in animals with cells transferred from placebo-immunized mice. The adoptive cell transfer model described in this paper can be used for at least two purposes: (i) to evaluate conjugate vaccines with different physicochemical properties for their ability to induce immunologic memory and (ii) to study the cellular interactions required for an immune response to these molecules.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer*
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Vaccines / immunology*
  • Glycoconjugates / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin M / biosynthesis
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / immunology*
  • Tetanus Toxoid / immunology

Substances

  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Glycoconjugates
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Tetanus Toxoid