Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen

<b>Background</b>: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of viral congenital infections worldwide. The development of effective vaccines against human CMV infection and disease is a high priority. Attenuated <i>Salmonella</i> are attractive oral vaccine vectors...

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Main Authors: Yujun Liu, Hao Gong, Jiaming Zhu, Fenyong Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Vaccines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/137
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author Yujun Liu
Hao Gong
Jiaming Zhu
Fenyong Liu
author_facet Yujun Liu
Hao Gong
Jiaming Zhu
Fenyong Liu
author_sort Yujun Liu
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background</b>: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of viral congenital infections worldwide. The development of effective vaccines against human CMV infection and disease is a high priority. Attenuated <i>Salmonella</i> are attractive oral vaccine vectors against human diseases because they can be administrated orally. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, an attenuated <i>Salmonella</i> strain was generated as an oral vaccine vector for the delivery and expression of the M78 protein of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). Using the MCMV infection of mice as the CMV infection model, we characterized the immune responses and protection induced by the constructed <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine. <b>Results</b>: The generated <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine, v-M78, which contained an M78 expression plasmid construct, carried out gene transfer efficiently for M78 expression and showed little pathogenicity and virulence in mice. In orally vaccinated mice, v-M78 induced anti-MCMV serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses and also elicited anti-MCMV T cell responses. Furthermore, mice immunized with v-M78 were protected from intraperitoneal and intranasal challenges with MCMV. The v-M78 vaccination reduced the titers of the challenged viruses in spleens, livers, lungs, and salivary glands. <b>Conclusions</b>: These results provide the first direct evidence that a <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine expressing M78 elicits strong humoral and cellular immune responses and induces immune protection against MCMV infection. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the potential of using <i>Salmonella</i>-based oral vaccines against CMV infection.
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spelling doaj-art-0f4b2a5fa546470a9ac7af9b1b65205c2025-08-20T03:12:16ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2025-01-0113213710.3390/vaccines13020137Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 AntigenYujun Liu0Hao Gong1Jiaming Zhu2Fenyong Liu3School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USASchool of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USASchool of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USASchool of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA<b>Background</b>: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of viral congenital infections worldwide. The development of effective vaccines against human CMV infection and disease is a high priority. Attenuated <i>Salmonella</i> are attractive oral vaccine vectors against human diseases because they can be administrated orally. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, an attenuated <i>Salmonella</i> strain was generated as an oral vaccine vector for the delivery and expression of the M78 protein of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). Using the MCMV infection of mice as the CMV infection model, we characterized the immune responses and protection induced by the constructed <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine. <b>Results</b>: The generated <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine, v-M78, which contained an M78 expression plasmid construct, carried out gene transfer efficiently for M78 expression and showed little pathogenicity and virulence in mice. In orally vaccinated mice, v-M78 induced anti-MCMV serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses and also elicited anti-MCMV T cell responses. Furthermore, mice immunized with v-M78 were protected from intraperitoneal and intranasal challenges with MCMV. The v-M78 vaccination reduced the titers of the challenged viruses in spleens, livers, lungs, and salivary glands. <b>Conclusions</b>: These results provide the first direct evidence that a <i>Salmonella</i>-based vaccine expressing M78 elicits strong humoral and cellular immune responses and induces immune protection against MCMV infection. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the potential of using <i>Salmonella</i>-based oral vaccines against CMV infection.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/137congenital infectionscytomegalovirusgene deliverygene therapyoral vaccine<i>Salmonella</i>
spellingShingle Yujun Liu
Hao Gong
Jiaming Zhu
Fenyong Liu
Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
Vaccines
congenital infections
cytomegalovirus
gene delivery
gene therapy
oral vaccine
<i>Salmonella</i>
title Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
title_full Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
title_fullStr Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
title_full_unstemmed Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
title_short Effective Immune Protection of Mice from Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection by Oral <i>Salmonella</i>-Based Vaccine Expressing Viral M78 Antigen
title_sort effective immune protection of mice from murine cytomegalovirus infection by oral i salmonella i based vaccine expressing viral m78 antigen
topic congenital infections
cytomegalovirus
gene delivery
gene therapy
oral vaccine
<i>Salmonella</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/2/137
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