Listeriolysin – a useful cytolysin: Response from Dietrich et al.

Abstract

In their response to our recent review in Trends in Microbiology 1xFrom evil to good: a cytolysin in vaccine development. Dietrich, G et al. Trends Microbiol. 2001; 9: 23–28Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (36)See all References1, George Gunn, Christian Peters and Yvonne Paterson describe a recently discovered characteristic of listeriolysin, its PEST-like sequence, which targets proteins to the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway for protein degradation 2xA PEST-like sequence in listeriolysin O essential for Listeria monocytogenes pathogenicity. Decatur, A.L and Portnoy, D.A. Science. 2000; 290: 992–995Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (147)See all References2. Peptides containing this sequence can therefore be used to enhance the efficacy of T-cell-dependent vaccines such as those against human papilloma virus (HPV) and influenza virus 3xA recombinant Listeria monocytogenes vaccine expressing a model tumour antigen protects mice against lethal tumour cell challenge and causes regression of established tumours. Pan, Z.K et al. Nat. Med. 1995; 1: 471–477Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (192)See all References, 4xRegression of established B16F10 melanoma with a recombinant Listeria monocytogenes vaccine. Pan, Z.K et al. Cancer Res. 1999; 59: 5264–5269PubMedSee all References. Previously, similar vaccination approaches based on ubiquitin conjugation to target antigens into the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted antigen processing and presentation have been successfully applied in some instances 5xAn autologous oral DNA vaccine protects against murine melanoma. Xiang, R et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2000; 97: 5492–5497Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (142)See all References, 6xDNA vaccination against tuberculosis: expression of a ubiquitin-conjugated tuberculosis protein enhances antimycobacterial immunity. Delogu, G et al. Infect. Immun. 2000; 68: 3097–3102Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (87)See all References, but without success in others 7xInduction of MHC class I-restricted CTL response by DNA immunization with ubiquitin-influenza virus nucleoprotein fusion antigens. Fu, T.M et al. Vaccine. 1998; 16: 1711–1717Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (63)See all References7. Hence, the PEST-like sequence might add an attractive new facet to the capabilities of listeriolysin as a vaccine adjuvant. Additionally, listeriolysin can induce signal transduction pathways in infected cells, leading to a strong pro-inflammatory response. Although these features make listeriolysin an extremely versatile vaccine adjuvant, they were not within the scope of our review, which concentrated on the capability of listeriolysin to provide a route for phagosomal antigens and vaccine formulations into the cytosol of antigen-presenting cells (APCs).It is beyond doubt that the hemolytic activity of listeriolysin is responsible for enhanced MHC class I-dependent processing and presentation of passenger antigens given or expressed separately 1xFrom evil to good: a cytolysin in vaccine development. Dietrich, G et al. Trends Microbiol. 2001; 9: 23–28Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (36)See all