Remodeling Yersinia pseudotuberculosis to generate a highly immunogenic outer membrane vesicle vaccine against pneumonic plague

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Mar 15;119(11):e2109667119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2109667119. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Abstract

SignificanceYersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, has been responsible for high mortality in several epidemics throughout human history. This plague bacillus has been used as a biological weapon during human history and is currently one of the deadliest biological threats. Currently, no licensed plague vaccines are available in the Western world. Since an array of immunogens are enclosed in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), immune responses elicited by OMVs against a diverse range of antigens may reduce the likelihood of antigen circumvention. Therefore, self-adjuvanting OMVs from a remodeled Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strain as a type of plague vaccine could diversify prophylactic choices and solve current vaccine limitations.

Keywords: Y. pseudotuberculosis; monophosphoryl lipid A; outer membrane vesicles; plague vaccine; protective immunity.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antigens, Bacterial* / genetics
  • Antigens, Bacterial* / immunology
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Lipid A* / genetics
  • Lipid A* / immunology
  • Mice
  • Plague Vaccine* / administration & dosage
  • Plague Vaccine* / genetics
  • Plague Vaccine* / immunology
  • Plague* / prevention & control
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins* / genetics
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins* / immunology
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis* / genetics
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis* / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • LcrV protein, Yersinia
  • Lipid A
  • Plague Vaccine
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins