Sublingual vaccination with sonicated Salmonella proteins and mucosal adjuvant induces mucosal and systemic immunity and protects mice from lethal enteritis.

Salmonella enteritidis is one of the most common pathogens of enteritis. Most experimental vaccines against Salmonella infection have been applied through injections. This is a new trial to explore the effect of sublingual administration of Salmonella vaccines on systemic and mucosal immunity. Adult BALB/c mice were sublingually vaccinated with sonicated Salmonella proteins (SSP) alone, or plus adjuvant CpG DNA (CpG) or cholera toxin (CT). They were boosted 2 weeks later. Saliva specific secretory IgA (SIgA) antibody responses were significantly stimulated in the mice vaccinated with SSP only or together with CpG or CT. Whereas the mice sublingually vaccinated with SSP and CpG had higher spleen cell IFN-γ production and serum specific IgG2a antibody responses, those receiving SSP and CT showed enhanced spleen cell IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6 production, and serum specific IgG1 antibody responses. After oral challenge with live S. enteritidis, the same strain of the source of SSP, immune protection in those sublingually vaccinated with SSP and CpG or CT was found to prevent intestinal necrosis and to render a higher survival rate. In conclusion, sublingual vaccination together with mucosal adjuvant CpG or CT is a simple but effective way against enteric bacterial pathogens.