Lipidated promiscuous peptides vaccine for tuberculosis-endemic regions.

Abstract

Despite nine decades of Bacillus Calmette--Guérin (BCG) vaccination, tuberculosis continues to be a major global health challenge. Clinical trials worldwide have proved the inadequacy of the BCG vaccine in preventing the manifestation of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults. Ironically, the efficacy of BCG is poorest in tuberculosis endemic areas. Factors such as nontuberculous or environmental mycobacteria and helminth infestation have been suggested to limit the efficacy of BCG. Hence, in high TB-burden countries, radically novel strategies of vaccination are urgently required. Here we showcase the properties of lipidated promiscuous peptide vaccines that target and activate cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems by employing a Toll-like receptor-2 agonist, S-[2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)propyl]cysteine (Pam2Cys). Such a strategy elicits robust protection and enduring memory responses by type 1 T helper cells (Th1). Consequently, lipidated peptides may yield a better vaccine than BCG.

• Authors: Uthaman Gowthaman, Pradeep K Rai, Nargis Khan, David C Jackson, Javed N Agrewala
• Journal: Trends in molecular medicine (Trends Mol Med) Vol. 18 Issue 10 Pg. 607-14 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1471-499X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22939171 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• BCG Vaccine
• Toll-Like Receptor 2
• Tuberculosis Vaccines
• Vaccines, Subunit

Topics

• Animals
• BCG Vaccine (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Helminths (drug effects, immunology)
• Humans
• Mycobacterium (drug effects, growth & development, immunology)
• Th1 Cells (immunology, metabolism)
• Toll-Like Receptor 2 (immunology, metabolism)
• Tuberculosis Vaccines (immunology)
• Tuberculosis, Pulmonary (immunology, prevention & control)
• Vaccination (methods)
• Vaccines, Subunit (immunology)