MIP-3α-antigen fusion DNA vaccine enhances sex differences in tuberculosis model and alters dendritic cell activity early post vaccination.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Efforts to control TB are hampered by the lengthy and cumbersome treatment required to eradicate the infection. Bacterial persistence during exposure to bactericidal antibiotics is at least partially mediated by the bacterial stringent response enzyme, Rel Methods: A EαGFP reporter vaccine model was used to track vaccine antigen presentation by an antibody Y-Ae which binds the Eα peptide tag in complex with I-A Results: MIP-3α-EαGFP groups had more DCs presenting vaccine antigen infiltrating from the periphery, with more abundant Langerhans cells in males and greater CD8 + CD103 + cross-presenting dermal DCs in females. This model also shows there is greater DC activation, as measured by CD80 and MHC II MFI, by MIP-3α compared to EαGFP alone, especially in female mice. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with the sex- and MIP-3α-related differences seen in the therapeutic model and supports the hypothesis that in both sexes MIP-3α enhances vaccine uptake and cell activation by peripheral iDCs. Additionally, Female mice showed greater levels of antigen presentation, especially in DCs able to cross-present antigen, explaining why they had the best outcomes. Further studies are required to understand underlying mechanisms and to link APC results directly to T-cell responses.