Fukushima J. Med. Sci.,
Vol. 51, No. 1, 2005

［Original Article］

EFFECTIVENESS OF INTRAGASTRIC IMMUNIZATION WITH PROTEIN
AND OLIGODEOXYNUCLEOTIDES CONTAINING A CpG MOTIF
FOR INDUCING A GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSAL
IMMUNE RESPONSE IN MICE

TAKUTO HIKICHI, HIROKO KOBAYASHI, HITOSHI OYAMA,
GO YAMAMOTO, HIROSHI WATANABE, ATSUSHI IRISAWA,
KATSUTOSHI OBARA and YUKIO SATO

Department of Internal Medicine II, Fukushima Medical University
School of Medicine, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan

(Received January 4, 2005, accepted January 11, 2005)

Abstract: 〔Purpose〕 To investigate a new modality of mucosal vaccines, we evaluated the effectiveness of intragastric immunization for inducing a mucosal immune response in the gastrointestinal tract.　〔Methods〕 Mice were immunized with b-galactosidase (b-gal) and synthesized oligodeoxynucleotides containing a CpG motif (CpG-DNA) by intragastric injection, and the immune response was compared with those induced by 3 other immunization forms: intranasal, oral, and intradermal.　〔Results〕 Intragastric immunization with b-gal and CpG-DNA induced significant anti-b-gal fecal IgA production at 2 weeks; however, at 4 weeks the response was lacking.　In contrast, intranasal immunization with b-gal and CpG-DNA induced the highest anti-b-gal fecal IgA production at 4 weeks.　〔Conclusion〕 Although intragastric immunization with protein and CpG-DNA induces a mucosal immune response in the gastrointestinal tract, intranasal immunization is the most effective to induce both mucosal and systemic immune responses.　This finding may increase the possibility for developing vaccines against mucosal pathogens, especially Helicobacter pylori.

Key words: mucosal vaccine, mucosal immune response, intragastric immunization, CpG motif, Helicobacter pylori

引地拓人，小林浩子，大山　仁，山本　豪，渡辺浩志，入澤篤志，小原勝敏，佐藤由紀夫

Correspondence to: Takuto Hikichi, Department of Internal Medicine II, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City 960-1295, Japan.
E-mail: takuto@fmu.ac.jp