[Enhancement by an in vivo-activated promoter of immunogenicity of recombinant attenuated Salmonella typhimurium expressing hepatitis C virus core antigen]

Abstract

The promoter of phoP-activated gene C (P(pagC)) of Salmonella typhimurium was cloned and used as transcriptionally regulating element for a plasmid that expresses hepatitis C virus core antigen. The resultant plasmid was transformed into attenuated Salmonella typhimurium SL7207 and its expression activity in vitro was determined. Mg(2+) inhibited the recombinant bacteria to express HCV core antigen in a dose-dependent manner. This recombinant strain, and another bacterial strain that constitutively expresses HCV core antigen were orally inoculated BALB/c mice respectively. The stability of the plasmid in the bacteria and the immune responses was analyzed. The results showed that the in vivo activated P(pagC) promoter could stabilize the plasmid in the bacteria and enhance the humoral and cellular immune responses greatly, showing a novel way to produce effective, cheap oral vaccine against hepatitis C.