Findings of a study in Scientific Reports shows that a protein has the ability to enhance the effectiveness of vaccines. The findings provide new insight into how vaccines work and would have wide implications. In the study, the investigators looked at the outer membrane protein from Neisseria meninigitidis, called PorB. PorB is a naturally occurring TLR2 ligand with unique adjuvant activity. TLRs are a class of proteins that not only play an important role in the body's innate immunity but also influence adaptive immunity. During immune response to pathogens, TLR ligands activate both innate and adaptive immune cells. To determine whether PorB could improve vaccine efficacy, the investigators used two experimental models: One model was vaccinated with both antigen and mixed PorB while the other model only received the antigen. The model that received PorB showed an elevated response to the antigen than the model that did not. The antigen formulation with PorB increased the number of activated cells in the lymph nodes and the production of cytotoxic T cells. Taken together, the data suggest that PorB could increase the effectiveness of vaccines. Among various scientific discoveries in the 20th century, vaccines are one of the most important achievements. In order to develop vaccines against infectious diseases such as HIV and Measles, a comprehensive understanding of the pathogen and host interactions is necessary. Efficacious adjuvants are key components of successful vaccines. TLR agonists are considered a group of potent adjuvants. This study demonstrates how the TLR-based adjuvant PorB can enhance vaccine effectiveness. A great advantage of PorB is that it may not only enhance the production of antibody but also stimulate immune cells to fight against foreign invaders. (TLR and ProB proteins and Recombinant CD9 can be offered by Cusabio.) The study is led by researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School.
