No abstract

The ability of genetic vaccination to protect against a lethal challenge of anthrax toxin was evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized via gene gun inoculation with eucaryotic expression vector plasmids encoding either a fragment of the protective antigen (PA) or a fragment of lethal factor (LF). Plasmid pCLF4 contains the N-terminal region (amino acids [aa] 10 to 254) of Bacillus anthracis LF cloned into the pCI expression plasmid. Plasmid pCPA contains a biologically active portion (aa 175 to 764) of B. anthracis PA cloned into the pCI expression vector. One-micrometer-diameter gold particles were coated with plasmid pCLF4 or pCPA or a 1:1 mixture of both and injected into mice via gene gun (1 g of plasmid DNA/injection) three times at 2-week intervals. Sera were collected and analyzed for antibody titer as well as antibody isotype. Significantly, titers of antibody to both PA and LF from mice immunized with the combination of pCPA and pCLF4 were four to five times greater than titers from mice immunized with either gene alone. Two weeks following the third and final plasmid DNA boost, all mice were challenged with 5 50% lethal doses of lethal toxin (PA plus LF) injected intravenously into the tail vein. All mice immunized with pCLF4, pCPA, or the combination of both survived the challenge, whereas all unimmunized mice did not survive. These results demonstrate that DNA-based immunization alone can provide protection against a lethal toxin challenge and that DNA immunization against the LF antigen alone provides complete protection.

We have previously described studies of a 22 kDa active fragment of the LasA proteinase. In follow-up studies of LasA, we have discovered the separate existence of a 23 kDa proteinase which shares many of the enzymatic properties of LasA, including the ability to lyse heat-killed staphylococci. However, this apparent serine proteinase, which we designate LasD, is distinct from the 22 kDa active LasA protein for the following reasons: (i) the N-terminal sequence of LasD shares no homology with LasA or the LasA precursor sequence; (ii) Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasA mutant strains AD1825 and FRD2128 do not produce LasA yet produce LasD; and (iii) specific antibodies to each proteinase do not show any cross-reactivity. LasD appears to be produced as a 30 kDa protein, which is possibly cleaved to produce a 23 kDa active fragment. The purified LasD fragment (23 kDa) shows strong staphylolytic activity only at higher pH conditions, while LasA exhibits staphylolytic activity over a broad pH range. In addition to their ability to cleave at internal diglycine sites, both the LasD and LasA endoproteinases efficiently cleave beta-casein.