Evaluation of BCGΔBCG1419c::ESAT6-PE25SS in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models of TB

Evaluation of BCGΔBCG1419c::ESAT6-PE25SS in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models of TB

Led by Dr Ana Maria Valencia Hernandez (James Cook University, Australia), with Dr Socorro Miranda-Hernandez (James Cook University, Australia), Dr Guangzu Zhao (James Cook University, Australia), Dr Andreas Kupz (James Cook University, Australia), and Dr Mario Flores-Valdez (CIATEJ, Mexico)

 

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health concern that causes more than 1.5 million deaths each year. Vaccination is considered one of the most effecctive ways to eliminate TB. However, the only licensed TB vaccine, called BCG, provides limited protection against the disease in adults and can cause dangerous side effects in people with weaker immune systems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new vaccine that can overcome these problems. Recent animal studies published by others and us, have shown that modified versions of BCG can induce more protection against TB and less side effects in mice with weakened immune systems, than the original BCG vaccine. In a close collaboration between the research groups of Dr Mario Alberto Flores-Valdez at the CIATEJ, Mexico, and Dr Andreas Kupz at the AITHM, Australia, we have recently combined two of these modified BCG vaccines into one that is predicted to be an outstanding vaccine candidate. This project aims to investigate whether this new vaccine candidate can induce a stronger immune response and better protection  against TB in mice with normal immune systems and is well-tolerated in mice with compromised immune systems, when compared with the original BCG vaccine. The results from this project will inform whether more comprehensive in vivo studies in other animal models of TB and future clinical trials are warranted.

Ana Valencia-Hernandez
Mario Alberto Flores-Valdez

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andreas Kupz