VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), the United States, have discovered a protein that could help make vaccinations more effective and also provide protection from other diseases such as cancer. The researchers purified a protein found on the exterior of bacteria (Neisseria meningidis) and used it as an accessory to provide a better vaccination response.

The study may lead to greater understanding of how vaccine enhancers work and can best be used. “This study has wide implications as it could not only be used to help the body identify and fight off bacterial infections, but it could also potentially help the body use its own machinery to fight off other diseases like cancer, HIV, and influenza before they have a chance to establish within the body,” said Lee Wetzler, at BUSM.

In this study, the researchers used two experimental models. The first model was given a vaccination with antigen and mixed PorB, while the second model was given the antigen alone.

The model that received the PorB had an increase in the response to the vaccine antigen, evidenced by an increased number of activated cells in the lymph nodes and a gain in the production of cytotoxic T cells, as compared to the vaccination with the antigen alone.