Bacterial vaccines with cell wall-associated ceramide-like glycolipids and uses thereof

1. A modified bacterium comprising: a bacterial cell and a glycosylceramide or analog thereof that is heterologous to said bacterial cell, wherein said glycosylceramide or analog thereof is incorporated into the cell wall of said bacterial cell, and wherein said glycosylceramide or analog thereof stimulates natural killer T (NKT) cells.

2. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said glycosylceramide or analog thereof comprises Formula I:

wherein R1 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 27 alkane or C 2 -C 27 alkene; or R1 is —C(OH)—R3 wherein R3 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 26 alkane or C 2 -C 26 alkene; or R1 is a C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene wherein (i) the C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene is substituted with a C 5 -C 15 cycloalkane, C 5 -C 15 cycloalkene, heterocycle, or aromatic ring or (ii) the C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene includes, within the C 6 -C 27 alkyl or alkenyl chain, a C 5 -C 15 cycloalkane, C 5 -C 15 cycloalkene, heterocycle, or aromatic ring;

R2 is one of the following (a)-(e):

(a) —CH 2 (CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(b) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(c) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 ) 2 ,

(d) —CH═CH(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(e) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 3 ,

wherein X is an integer ranging from 4-17;

R4 is an α-linked or a β-linked monosaccharide, or when R1 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 27 alkane, R4 is:

and

A is O or —CH 2 .

3. The modified bacterium of claim 2 , wherein R1 is —(CH 2 ) 22 CH 3 or —(CH 2 ) 24 CH 3 .

4. The modified bacterium of claim 2 , wherein R2 is —CH(OH)—(CH 2 ) 13 CH 3 .

5. The modified bacterium of claim 2 , wherein R4 is galactosyl, mannosyl, fucosyl or glucosyl.

6. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said glycosylceramide or analog thereof comprises an α-galactosylceramide or an analog thereof.

7. The modified bacterium of claim 6 , wherein said α-galactosylceramide or analog thereof comprises Formula II:

wherein

R1 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 27 alkane or C 2 -C 27 alkene; or R1 is —C(OH)—R3 wherein R3 is linear or branched C 1 -C 26 alkane or C 2 -C 26 alkene; and

R2 is one of the following (a)-(e):

(a) —CH 2 (CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(b) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(c) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 ) 2 ,

(d) —CH═CH(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(e) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 3 ,

wherein X is an integer ranging from 4-17.

8. The modified bacterium of claim 7 , wherein R2 is —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH 3 , wherein X is an integer ranging from 4-13.

9. The modified bacterium of claim 7 , wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of (CH 2 ) 9 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 8 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 7 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 3 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 3 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 7 CH═CH—CH 2 —CH═CH═(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 7 CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 5 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 8 CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 9 CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 5 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 6 CH═CH—CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 6 CH═CH—CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 and (CH 2 ) 7 CH═CH—CH═CH—CH═CH(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 .

10. The modified bacterium of claim 9 , wherein the double bonds are cis or trans.

11. The modified bacterium of claim 6 , wherein said α-galactosylceramide or analog thereof comprises Formula III:

wherein R is H or —C(O)R1, wherein R1 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 27 alkane or C 2 -C 27 alkene; or R1 is —C(OH)—R3 wherein R3 is a linear or branched C 1 -C 26 alkane or C 2 -C 26 alkene; or R1 is a C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene wherein (i) the C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene is substituted with a C 5 -C 15 cycloalkane, C 5 -C 15 cycloalkene, heterocycle, or aromatic ring or (ii) the C 6 -C 27 alkane or alkene includes, within the C 6 -C 27 alkyl or alkenyl chain, a C 5 -C 15 cycloalkane, C 5 -C 15 cycloalkene, heterocycle, or aromatic ring; or R1 is a —(CH 2 ) n R5, wherein n is an integer ranging from 0-5, and R5 is —C(O)OC 2 H 5 , an optionally substituted C 5 -C 15 cycloalkane, an optionally substituted aromatic ring, or an aralkyl, and

R2 is one of the following (a)-(e):

(a) —CH 2 (CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(b) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(c) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 ) 2 ,

(d) —CH═CH(CH 2 ) x CH 3 ,

(e) —CH(OH)(CH 2 ) x CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 3 ,

wherein X is an integer ranging from 4-17.

12. The modified bacterium of claim 11 , wherein R1 is substituted with oxo; hydroxy; halogen; phenyl; —OC(O)R6; —OR6; —C(O)R6; or N(R6) 2 ,

wherein each R6 is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or an aromatic ring optionally substituted with halogen; hydroxy; —OC(O)R7; —OR7; —C(O)R7 or N(R7) 2 , and

wherein each R7 is independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 alkyl.

13. The modified bacterium of claim 11 , wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of

where ( ) represent the point of attachment of R1 to the compound of Formula III.

14. The modified bacterium of claim 6 , wherein said α-galactosylceramide or analog thereof comprises (2S,3S,4R)-1-O-(α-D-galactopyranosyl)-N-hexacosanoyl-2-amino-1,3,4-octadecanetriol (KRN7000) or (2S,3S)-1-O-(α-D-galactopyranosyl)-N-hexacosanoyl-2-amino-1,3-octadecanediol).

15. The modified bacterium of claim 6 , wherein said α-galactosylceramide or analog thereof comprises (2S,3S,4R)-1-CH 2 -(α-galactopyranosyl)-N-hexacosanoyl-2-amino-1,3,4-octadecanetriol (α-C-GalCer).

16. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said bacterial cell is selected from the group consisting of a mycobacterial cell, a Listeria cell, a Salmonella cell, a Yersinia cell, a Francisella cell, and a Legionella cell.

17. The modified bacterium of claim 16 , wherein said bacterial cell is a mycobacterial cell.

18. The modified bacterium of claim 17 , wherein said mycobacterial cell is selected from the group consisting of a M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) cell and a nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) cell.

19. The modified bacterium of claim 18 , wherein said MTBC cell is selected from the group consisting of a M. tuberculosis cell, a M. bovis cell, a M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) cell, a M. africanum cell, a M. canetti cell, a M. caprae cell, and a M. pinnipedii ′ cell.

20. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said bacterial cell is live, killed, or attenuated.

21. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , which enhances antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses against an antigen.

22. The modified bacterium of claim 21 , wherein said antigen is a mycobacterial antigen.

23. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , which expresses a heterologous antigen.

24. The modified bacterium of claim 23 , wherein said heterologous antigen is a viral antigen, a bacterial antigen, a fungal antigen, a parasitic antigen, or a tumor specific antigen.

25. The modified bacterium of claim 23 , wherein said heterologous antigen is an immunogenic peptide.

26. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said bacterial cell is a recombinant bacterial cell.

27. A composition comprising the modified bacterium of claim 1 , and a pharmaceutical carrier.

28. The composition of claim 27 , wherein said pharmaceutical carrier is selected from the group consisting of saline, buffered saline, dextrose, water, glycerol, and combinations thereof.

29. The composition of claim 27 , further comprising an adjuvant.

30. The composition of claim 29 , wherein said adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of a glycolipid, a cytokine, a chemokine, a compound that induces the production of cytokines and chemokines, a growth factor, an interferon, a bacterial component, an aluminum-based salt, a calcium-based salt, a silica, a polynucleotide, a toxoid, a serum protein, a virus, a virally-derived material, a poison, a venom, a imidazoquiniline compound, TLR9 agonists, TLR7/8 agonists, a poloxamer, a cationic lipid, an inert carrier, a pluronic block polymer, a depot former, a surface active material, a macrophage stimulator, an alternate pathway complement activator, a non-ionic surfactant, mLT, SAF, LPS derivatives, trehalose dimycolate (TDM), cell wall skeleton (CWS), QS21, complete Freund's adjuvant, incomplete Freund's adjuvant, macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), 3-O-deacylated MPL, a CpG oligonucleotide, a saponin, a polyoxyethylene ether, a polyoxyethylene ester, and any combination of more than one second adjuvant.

31. A vaccine composition comprising the modified bacterium of claim 1 .

32. A method of treating a disease in an animal, comprising administering to an animal in need of said treatment the modified bacterium of claim 1 ; wherein said modified bacterium is administered in an amount sufficient to alter the progression of said disease.

33. A method of preventing a disease in an animal, comprising administering to an animal in need of said prevention the modified bacterium of claim 1 ; wherein said modified bacterium is administered in an amount sufficient to induce an immune response in said animal against said disease.

34. A method of inducing an immune response against an antigen in an animal, comprising administering to said animal the modified bacterium of claim 1 .

35. A method of modulating a CD8 T-cell response to BCG in an animal comprising administering to said animal an effective amount of the modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said bacterial cell is a BCG cell.

36. A kit comprising the modified bacterium of claim 1 .

37. A method of making a glycosylceramide/mycobacterial complex comprising (a) culturing a mycobacterial cell in culture medium and (b) adding a glycosylceramide or analog thereof that is heterologous to the mycobacterial cell and that stimulates natural killer T (NKT) cells to the culture medium under conditions where said glycosylceramide or analog thereof incorporates into the cell wall of said mycobacterial cell.

38. A method of producing a vaccine against an antigen comprising: (a) isolating the glycosylceramide/mycobacterial complex of claim 37 and (b) adding a pharmaceutical carrier to the isolated complex of (a).

39. The composition of claim 30 , wherein said adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG ODNS, imiquimod, and monophosphoryl lipid A, and any combination thereof.

40. The modified bacterium of claim 1 , wherein said modified bacterium is a carrier for a heterologous antigen.