Shigella Flexneri Ghost Cells as a Vaccine with Correct Surface Antigens

Abstract

Increasing interest was shown in the last five years concerning preparation of the microbial ghosts including the bacterial cells as a vaccination method by using the newly-introduced protocol, the sponge-like protocol. The current study is concerned with preparing Shigella flexneri cell ghosts (SFGs) for generating vaccine against the intestinal infection caused by S. flexneri to minimize the incidence of watery and dysentery diarrhea among people. SFGs were successfully produced in vitro with and their surface antigens were evaluated with specific antibodies. The oral vaccination with SFGs through a challenge test proved that both of (O) and (H) antigens in rat sera were confirmed after treatment with SFGs. The agglutination test showed correct in vitro and in vivo antigen-antibody binding. That demonstrated the validity of SFGs in rat immunization against viable S. flexneri. This study is the first in showing the feasibility of SFGs as a vaccine and in different immunological applications such as the preparation of the adjuvants and the antibodies, the production of the diagnostic kits and experiments aimed to study the surface antigens of S. flexneri. This study is an important process for establishing proper SFGs for different immunological directed applications.

Keywords: Ghost cells, Shigella flexneri.