Typically, vaccines can either increase the amount ofantibodyor stimulate cells (called cytotoxic T cells) to directly kill the causative agent.
A vaccine to help the body protect itself from diseases like cancer
In their research, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (USA) purified a protein found outside bacteria (Neisseria meningidis) and used it to provide a better response to vaccination. The protein, called PorB, is unique in this sense because it is able to do both.
“This vaccine could potentially help the body use its own weapons to fight diseases like cancer, HIV and the flu Said lead author of the study, Lee Wetzler, professor of medicine and microbiology at Boston University.
Increased response to vaccine antigen
In this study published on Scientific Reports, the researchers used two experimental models. The former received vaccination with mixed antigen and PorB, while the latter received the antigen alone. The model that received the PorB had an increased response to the vaccine antigen, evidenced by an increase in the number of activated cells in the lymph nodes and a gain in the production of cytotoxic T cells, compared to vaccination with the antigen alone.
“Our study deepens the general understanding of how vaccine adjuvants modulate immune responses. Formulation of the antigen with PorB triggers a sequence of cellular events at the periphery and in lymphoid tissue which are essential for the establishment of protection against a wide range of infectious diseases, and possibly for others. diseases like cancer, ”added Professor Wetzler.
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