Protective efficacy of H antigen from Histoplasma capsulatum in a murine model of pulmonary histoplasmosis.

Abstract

We previously reported that immunization with H antigen from Histoplasma capsulatum did not protect mice against an intravenous challenge with yeasts. Here, we investigated the utility of H antigen to protect mice in a model of pulmonary histoplasmosis. Mice immunized with H antigen and challenged intranasally 4 weeks postvaccination were protected against sublethal and lethal challenges with H. capsulatum yeasts. If the challenge was performed 3 months after vaccination, there was a reduction in fungal burden following sublethal challenge and a modest delay in mortality in mice given a lethal inoculum. Vaccination was associated with production of gamma interferon, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10 by splenocytes. Vaccination with H antigen was not accompanied by a major expansion of CD4(+) or CD8(+) cells in spleens of mice. These results demonstrate that H antigen may be useful as a protective immunogen against pulmonary exposure to H. capsulatum.

• Authors: G S Deepe Jr, R Gibbons
• Journal: Infection and immunity (Infect Immun) Vol. 69 Issue 5 Pg. 3128-34 (May 2001) ISSN: 0019-9567 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11292732 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Bacterial
• Cytokines
• H antigen
• Interleukin-12

Topics

• Animals
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology)
• Cytokines (biosynthesis)
• Histoplasma (immunology)
• Histoplasmosis (prevention & control)
• Immunization
• Immunophenotyping
• Interleukin-12 (pharmacology)
• Lung Diseases, Fungal (prevention & control)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Time Factors