Mucosal delivery of nanofiber booster vaccine enhances generation of antigen-specific memory T cells in the lung parenchyma

• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.202.supp.139.2
• Publication Date: 2023-01-02T03:21:23Z
• Authors: Megan A Files; Preeti Bharaj; Tais B Saito; Jai Rudra; Janice J Endsley
• Keywords: Memory T cell; Priming (agriculture); Adoptive Cell Transfer; Tuberculosis vaccines

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a serious threat to global health with 10 million new infections each year and 1–2 deaths. The only licensed vaccine approved for human use, bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), has been administered 4 billion people despite variable efficacy. Heterologous regimens that boost T cell memory generated through BCG priming, however, may be an effective immunization strategy. Our lab previously demonstrated efficacy of nanofiber (NF) platform containing co-assembled CD8+ CD4+ epitopes as evidenced the generation polyfunctional cells protection from aerosol challenge Mtb. In recent investigations, we observed boosting BCG-primed mice pulmonary route NF-based bearing Ag85B CD4+T increased frequency Mtb antigen-specific in lung parenchyma indicated number tetramer (I-Ab:Ag85B) positive cells. Mtb-specific was further adoptive transfer dendritic pulsed Ag85B-bearing NF. Ag85B-specific were characterized tissue resident (Trm) effector (Tem) based on surface marker phenotypes (I-Ab:Ag85B+ CD69+/− CCR7− CD44+ CD62Llo). recall experiments, splenocytes vaccinated also expressed cytokines have associated protective immunity. These results suggest immunity following vaccination NF subunit prime/boost strategy expansion Trm recognize epitope.