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Efficacy of a food plant-based oral cholera toxin B subunit vaccine

Nature Biotechnology volume 16, pages 292–297 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Transgenic potatoes were engineered to synthesize a cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) pentamer with affinity for GM1-ganglioside. Both serum and intestinal CTB-specific antibodies were induced in orally immunized mice. Mucosal antibody titers declined gradually after the last immunization but were restored following an oral booster of transgenic potato. The cytopathic effect of cholera holotoxin (CT) on Vero cells was neutralized by serum from mice immunized with transgenic potato tissues. Following intraileal injection with CT, the plant-immunized mice showed up to a 60% reduction in diarrheal fluid accumulation in the small intestine. Protection against CT was based on inhibition of enterotoxin binding to the cell-surface receptor GM1-ganglioside. These results demonstrate the ability of transgenic food plants to generate protective immunity in mice against a bacterial enterotoxin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92350

    Takeshi Arakawa & William H. R. Langridge

  2. Center for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92350

    Takeshi Arakawa, Daniel K.X. Chong & William H. R. Langridge

  3. Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92350

    William H. R. Langridge

Authors
  1. Takeshi Arakawa
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  2. Daniel K.X. Chong
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  3. William H. R. Langridge
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Correspondence to William H. R. Langridge.

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Arakawa, T., Chong, D. & Langridge, W. Efficacy of a food plant-based oral cholera toxin B subunit vaccine. Nat Biotechnol 16, 292–297 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0398-292

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