L10 - Immunology of the gut mucosa 2 - Jamie Mann Flashcards
- Understand the concepts of mucosal immunity and its importance in vaccine development - Explain the differences between mucosal vaccines and traditional injectable vaccines in terms of administration, mechanism of action and advantages - Describe the challenges and barriers associated with developing effective mucosal vaccines - Discuss the various mucosal vaccine delivery routes and their advantages and limitations (159 cards)
How are traditional vaccines generally administered?
Traditional vaccines are typically administered systemically, meaning they are delivered through:
- Intramuscularly (into the muscle)
- Subcutaneously (into the subcutaneous layer)
- Intradermally (into the dermis)
(Most vaccines are administered intramuscularly, with fewer being given intradermally or subcutaneously)
what are example intramuscular vaccines
Influenza and Diptheria
what are example subcutaneous injections
MMR and IPV
what are example intradermal injections
BCG
What are live attenuated vaccines and how do they work?
Live attenuated vaccines use viruses that have been cultured or engineered to remain infectious while having reduced infectivity. These viruses can infect a small number of cells but are less virulent and cannot replicate efficiently. This limitation triggers a strong immune response, as dendritic cells capture the virus and present it to T cells to stimulate the immune response, without overwhelming the body like a traditional pathogen could.Live attenuated vaccines use viruses that have been cultured or engineered to remain infectious but with reduced infectivity.
- The virus can infect a few cells but is less fit and cannot replicate efficiently.
- This triggers a robust immune response without overwhelming the body like a traditional pathogen would
What are killed pathogen vaccines?
Killed pathogen vaccines use viruses or bacteria that have been inactivated so they cannot replicate or cause infection.
Their purpose is to be taken up by dendritic cells and presented to T cells to stimulate an immune response.
what are examples of live attenuated virus vaccines
examples for live attenuated virus vaccines include those for Rubella and Mumps
What are toxin-based vaccines?
Toxin-based vaccines are designed to generate immunity against bacterial toxins.
What are some examples for toxin based vaccines
Examples include vaccines for diphtheria and pertussis, where toxins are engineered to be safely presented to the immune system.
What are two new platforms for vaccines
- RNA vaccines
- Viral vectors
What are RNA vaccines ?
RNA Vaccines: Use messenger RNA to encode antigens that stimulate an immune response.
What are viral vector vaccines
Viral Vector Vaccines: Use a harmless virus as a delivery system to introduce genetic material coding for antigens.
Both types were widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the limitations of traditional vaccines?
Traditional vaccines are effective at generating systemic immune responses (e.g., circulating antibodies and T cells in the blood). However, they have limited effectiveness against certain global pathogens, including:
- HIV
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis (TB)
These pathogens require different immune strategies for effective protection.
What is the current status of HIV vaccine development?
Despite extensive research, no effective vaccine for HIV has been developed.
Most clinical trials have shown no efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition.
One trial, known as RV 144 (or the Thai trial), showed modest protective efficacy of about 31%, but this result was never replicated in subsequent studies.
How long has the search for an HIV vaccine been ongoing?
Research has been ongoing for over 40 years, since the identification of HIV as the etiological agent behind the global AIDS epidemic in 1980.
Despite decades of research, an effective vaccine has yet to be developed.
How prevalent is TB globally, and what is its impact?
TB infects about 25% of the global population, and a significant number of people die from it every year, making it a major public health concern.
What type of vaccine is the BCG vaccine, and what is it derived from?
The BCG vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine derived from the Mycobacterium bovis strain, which primarily infects cows.
How effective is the BCG vaccine, and what are its limitations?
The efficacy of the BCG vaccine is variable:
- Effective in young children (under five years) but efficacy declines in adults and older children.
- Provides protection against pulmonary TB but is less effective against extrapulmonary TB.
- It reduces the severity of disease and protects against death but does not necessarily prevent infection.
What is the latest development in TB vaccine research?
A new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine is currently undergoing clinical trials.
In a study involving 3,300 participants, half received the vaccine while the other half received a placebo. Out of all participants, only 40 developed TB, with a significantly higher number of cases occurring in the placebo group. The vaccine demonstrated approximately 50% efficacy in reducing the acquisition of TB.
What immune responses were observed in the new TB vaccine trial?
The trial showed:
- Rapid antibody response peaking at 2 months post-vaccination, followed by a plateau.
- Elevated antibody levels were maintained for 36 months, indicating durability.
- T cell responses were also durable, remaining elevated after 36 months.
Why are there large standard deviations in the immune response data for the new TB vaccine?
The large standard deviations are due to the vaccine being tested in a wild-type human population with:
- Genetic diversity and social factors influencing immune responses.
- This variability contrasts with tighter error bars seen in laboratory animals like mice, which have more controlled genetic backgrounds.
What organizations are funding further studies on the new TB vaccine?
The Wellcome Trust and the Melinda Gates Foundation are funding larger studies to investigate the new TB vaccine’s efficacy and durability.
What is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and when is it most common?
RSV is a respiratory virus that can cause severe respiratory infections, particularly in children.
It is commonly seen in the winter months and was part of the “quademic” alongside flu, COVID-19, and Norovirus
Why has it been difficult to develop a vaccine for RSV?
Developing a vaccine for RSV has been challenging due to its complex biology and historical failures in achieving effective and safe immunity.