The adjuvant LT-K63 can restore delayed maturation of follicular dendritic cells and poor persistence of both protein- and polysaccharide-specific antibody-secreting cells in neonatal mice

J Immunol. 2012 Aug 1;189(3):1265-73. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1200761. Epub 2012 Jul 2.

Abstract

Ab responses in early life are low and short-lived; therefore, induction of protective immunity requires repeated vaccinations. One of the major limitations in early-life immunity is delayed maturation of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), which play a central role in mediating the germinal center (GC) reaction leading to production of Ab-secreting cells (AbSCs). We assessed whether a nontoxic mutant of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-K63) and CpG1826 as model adjuvants could accelerate FDC maturation and immune response in neonatal mice, using a pneumococcal polysaccharide of serotype 1 conjugated to tetanus toxoid (Pnc1-TT) as a model vaccine. In neonatal NMRI mice, a single dose of Pnc1-TT coadministered with LT-K63 enhanced Pnc1-TT-induced GC reaction. In contrast, CpG1826 had no effect. Accordingly, LT-K63, but not CpG1826, accelerated the maturation of FDC networks, detected by FDC-M2(+) staining, characteristic for adult-like FDCs. This coincided with migration of MOMA-1(+) macrophages into the GCs that can enhance GC reaction and B cell activation. The FDC-M2(+) FDC networks colocalized with enhanced expression of TNF-α, which is critical for the maintenance of mature FDCs and is poorly expressed in neonates. The accelerated maturation of FDC networks correlated with increased frequency and prolonged persistence of polysaccharide- and protein-specific IgG(+) AbSCs in spleen and bone marrow. Our data show for the first time, to our knowledge, that an adjuvant (LT-K63) can overcome delayed maturation of FDCs in neonates, enhance the GC reaction, and prolong the persistence of vaccine-specific AbSCs in the BM. These properties are attractive for parenteral vaccination in early life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / biosynthesis*
  • Antibody-Producing Cells / immunology*
  • Antibody-Producing Cells / microbiology
  • Antibody-Producing Cells / pathology
  • Bacterial Toxins / administration & dosage
  • Bacterial Toxins / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • CpG Islands / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells, Follicular / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells, Follicular / microbiology
  • Dendritic Cells, Follicular / pathology
  • Enterotoxins / administration & dosage
  • Enterotoxins / therapeutic use*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / administration & dosage
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / therapeutic use
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / administration & dosage
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / therapeutic use
  • Tetanus Toxoid / administration & dosage
  • Tetanus Toxoid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • CpG ODN 1826
  • Enterotoxins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Tetanus Toxoid
  • streptococcal polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine
  • heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli