Irradiated whole cell Chlamydia vaccine confers significant protection in a murine genital tract challenge model.

ABSTRACT: Chlamydia trachomatis infections are the most common bacterial STIs globally and can lead to serious morbidity if untreated. Development of a killed, whole-cell vaccine has been stymied by coincident epitope destruction during inactivation. Here, we present a prototype Chlamydia vaccine composed of elementary bodies (EBs) from the related mouse pathogen, Chlamydia muridarum (Cm). EBs inactivated by gamma rays (Ir-Cm) in the presence of the antioxidant Mn²⁺-Decapeptide (DEHGTAVMLK) Phosphate (MDP) are protected from epitope damage but not DNA damage. Cm EBs gamma-inactivated with MDP retain their structure and provide significant protection in a murine genital tract infection model. Mice vaccinated with Ir-Cm (+MDP) exhibited elevated levels of Cm-specific IgG and IgA antibodies,

SUBMITTER: Broder KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11554809 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature