Vaccine adjuvant vector, CTA1-DD/ISCOM, designed.

2004 FEB 11 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A scientists reports the rational design of a vaccine adjuvant vector, CTA1-DD/ISCOM, in a recent issue of the journal Cellular Microbiology.

According to a study from Sweden, "Mucosally active vaccine adjuvants which will prime a full range of local and systemic immune responses against defined antigenic epitopes are much needed. Cholera toxin (CT) and lipophilic immune stimulating complexes (ISCOMs) containing Quil A can both act as adjuvants for orally administered antigens, but through separate pathways, as evidenced by the dependence on IL-12 for the effect of ISCOMs, whereas CT is independent of this cytokine.

"Unfortunately the toxicity of CT and recent findings of accumulation of CT in the olfactory nerve and bulb after intranasal administration precludes the clinical use of CT."

"However, we have been successful in separating the adjuvant and toxic effects of CT, by constructing a gene fusion protein, CTA1-DD, that combines the enzymatically active CTA1-subunit with a B cell targeting moiety, D, derived from Staphylococcus aureus protein A," reported Nils Lycke at the University of Goteborg. "The present review gives a background to mucosal immunization and the use of adjuvants in general, followed by a description of a strategy to rationally design a vaccine adjuvant vector that fulfils the criteria of targeting and immunomodulating innate immunity in order to boost a strong adaptive immune response."

"We have combined CTA1-DD and ISCOMs into a ...