Fig. 5: The AIBP vaccine has superior immunogenicity and protective efficacy to wP or aP vaccines delivered by the nasal route.
Female 6–8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were immunized by i.n. administration of AIBP vaccine (equivalent to 1 × 108 bacteria per mouse), wP vaccine (1/160 human dose, equivalent to 1 × 108 bacteria per mouse), aP vaccine (1/160 human dose) or PBS twice at 0 week and 4 weeks and were challenged with live B. pertussis 2 weeks later. a,b, On the day of but before the challenge with live B. pertussis, CD4 TRM cells (a) and B. pertussis-specific IL-17- and IFNγ-producing CD4 TRM cells (b) were analysed by ICS and flow cytometry as described in the legend of Fig. 3. Data in a and b are presented as the mean ± s.e.m. of biological replicates shown as individual symbols (n = 5). c, On the day before the B. pertussis challenge, concentrations of B. pertussis-specific IgA in nasal tissue homogenates and IgG1 and IgG2c in serum were quantified by ELISA. Data are presented as the mean ± s.d. of biological replicates (n = 5). d, CFU counts on lung and nasal tissue 2 h and 7 days, 14 days and 21 days post-challenge. Data are the mean ± s.d. of biological replicates (n = 5). Data were analysed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons. P values are shown above relevant datasets.
