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Immunogenicity and protective role of an IgA reactive 31-kDa antigen of Vibrio cholerae O139

Department of Medical Microbiology and *Department of Experimental Medicine & Biotechnology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh - 160012, India

Corresponding author: Dr S. Kumar. Present address: Department of Microbiology, Defence R & D Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior 474 002, India (e-mail: subodh_kumar{at}email.com). *Present address: Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 110029 India.

Received 28 Sept. 2000; accepted 30 Nov. 2000.

Abstract

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is important in protective immunity against infection by Vibrio cholerae. In this study, the immune response to and protective role of a 31-kDa antigen of V. cholerae O139, reacting with IgA antibodies present in the sera of cholera patients and common to V. cholerae strains O139 and O1 was evaluated in BALB/c mice. From the various antigens of V. cholerae O139 and V. cholerae O1 which reacted with IgA antibodies in sera of a cholera patient, a 31-kDa common antigen was selected and purified by DEAE-Sepharose CL 6B column chromatography. Oral administration of live V. cholerae O139 in BALB/c mice elicited an IgA response to the 31-kDa antigen in serum and intestinal fluid, and a proliferation of the splenic lymphocytes on stimulation with the same antigen. The cytokine profile of these splenic lymphocytes revealed a shift from a mixed Th1 and Th2 response – interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon- – in the first week after infection to a Th2 type of response – IL-10 – in the third week. In passive protection studies, hyperimmune serum to the 31-kDa antigen was able to protect infant mice against challenge with O139 and O1 strains. These results demonstrate the ability of the 31-kDa antigen of V. cholerae O139 to induce humoral and cellular immune responses in mice, and its immunoprotective nature.