AUTHOR=Ghasemi Amir , Wang Shifeng , Sahay Bikash , Abbott Jeffrey R. , Curtiss Roy 

TITLE=Protective immunity enhanced Salmonella vaccine vectors delivering Helicobacter pylori antigens reduce H. pylori stomach colonization in mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034683

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034683

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic> is a major cause of gastric mucosal inflammation, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. Emerging antimicrobial-resistant <italic>H. pylori</italic> has hampered the effective eradication of frequent chronic infections. Moreover, a safe vaccine is highly demanded due to the absence of effective vaccines against <italic>H. pylori</italic>. In this study, we employed a new innovative Protective Immunity Enhanced <italic>Salmonella</italic> Vaccine (PIESV) vector strain to deliver and express multiple <italic>H. pylori</italic> antigen genes. Immunization of mice with our vaccine delivering the HpaA, Hp-NAP, UreA and UreB antigens, provided sterile protection against <italic>H. pylori</italic> SS1 infection in 7 out of 10 tested mice. In comparison to the control groups that had received PBS or a PIESV carrying an empty vector, immunized mice exhibited specific and significant cellular recall responses and antigen-specific serum IgG1, IgG2c, total IgG and gastric IgA antibody titers. In conclusion, an improved <italic>S.</italic> Typhimurium-based live vaccine delivering four antigens shows promise as a safe and effective vaccine against <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection.</p>