Immunogenic TP0751 fragments
The present application provides methods of stimulating an immune response, such as a protective immune response against Treponema pallidum infection. Such methods utilize fragments of the Tp0751 protein (such as any of SEQ ID NOs: 3-10, those N-terminally truncated from amino acids 1 through 77, 1 through 114, or anywhere in between, e.g., those that start at any amino acid from 78 to 115). In some examples, a Tp0751 protein fragment has a mutated HEXXH site (HEXXH is the wild-type sequence). Also provided are the isolated soluble Tp0751 protein fragments that include a wild-type or mutated HEXXH site, as well as nucleic acids encoding such proteins and kits that include such proteins.
1. A vaccine composition comprising:
a therapeutically effective amount of an isolated Tp0751 protein fragment consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5, and optionally a purification tag; and
a therapeutically effective amount of an adjuvant.
2. A vaccine composition, comprising:
a therapeutically effective amount of an isolated Tp0751 protein fragment consisting of the protein sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, and optionally a purification tag; and
a therapeutically effective amount of an adjuvant.
3. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
4. The vaccine composition of claim 3 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises saline or phosphate-buffered saline.
5. A method of stimulating an immune response against a Tp0751 protein, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vaccine composition of claim 1 to a subject.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method induces serum antibodies which have neutralizing activity for Tp0751 protein.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the subject is a mammalian subject.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the immune response is a B cell response.
9. The vaccine composition of claim 2 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
10. The vaccine composition of claim 9 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises saline or phosphate-buffered saline.
11. A method of stimulating an immune response against a Tp0751 protein, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vaccine composition of claim 2 to a subject.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method induces serum antibodies which have neutralizing activity for Tp0751 protein.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the subject is a mammalian subject.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the immune response is a B cell response.
15. A method of stimulating an immune response against Treponema pallidum in a subject, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vaccine composition of claim 1 to a subject.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the subject is human.
17. A method of stimulating an immune response against Treponema pallidum in a subject, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vaccine composition of claim 2 to a subject.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the subject is human.