AUTHOR=Cauchi Stéphane , Locht Camille 

TITLE=Non-specific Effects of Live Attenuated Pertussis Vaccine Against Heterologous Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02872

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2018.02872

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of pertussis, also referred to as whooping cough, a disease that still represents a major threat to public health. Vaccine-induced immunity to pertussis wanes over time. High vaccine coverage in industrialized countries has not prevented infection and transmission of B. pertussis, leading to periodic outbreaks in people of all ages, including adolescents and adults. The consequence is the generation of a large reservoir for transmission to infants, who show the highest risk of developing severe pertussis and mortality. With the aim of providing protection against both disease and infection, a live attenuated pertussis vaccine, in which three toxins have been genetically modified or removed, has been developed. This vaccine, named BPZE1, offers strong protection in mice and non-human primates. It has now successfully completed a phase I clinical trial in which safety, transient colonization of the human respiratory tract and immunogenicity could be demonstrated. In mice, BPZE1 was also found to protect against inflammation resulting from heterologous airway infections, including those caused by other Bordetella species, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. Furthermore, the heterologous protection conferred by BPZE1 was also observed for non-infectious inflammatory diseases, such as allergic asthma, as well as for inflammatory disorders outside of the respiratory tract, such as contact dermatitis. Current studies focus on the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects associated with nasal BPZE1 administration. Given the increasing importance of inflammatory disorders, novel preventive and therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Therefore, live vaccines, such as BPZE1, may offer attractive solutions.