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Updated: May 12, 2026
Evaluation of Host-Pathogen Responses and Vaccine Efficacy in Mice
Published on: February 22, 2019
Inactivated pep27 mutant as an effective mucosal vaccine against a secondary lethal pneumococcal challenge in mice
Sang-Yoon Choi1, Thao Dang-Hien Tran, David E Briles
1Sungkyunkwan University School of Pharmacy, Suwon, Korea.
Purpose:
A pep27 mutant may be able to elicit mucosal immunity against pneumococcal diseases, and could be employed as an inexpensive attenuated vaccine. However, this particular mutant contains an erythromycin-resistance marker. The purpose of the current study is to develop a markerless pep27 mutant and assess whether this inactivated mutant is able to induce mucosal immunity.
Materials And Methods:
Mice were vaccinated intranasally with the inactivated markerless pep27 mutant every 2 weeks for a total of three times, after which time serum samples were analyzed for antibody titers. The mice were then challenged with a lethal D39 strain and their survival time was measured. The cross-reactivity of the antisera against pep27 was also compared to other mutant serotypes.
Results:
Intranasal immunization of mice with the inactivated markerless pep27 mutant provides effective protection and rapidly cleared bacterial colonization in vivo. Moreover, antisera raised against the pep27 mutant may cross-react with several other serotype strains.
Conclusion:
Intranasal immunization with the inactivated pep27 mutant may be able to provide mucosal immunity, and could represent an efficient mucosal vaccine.
