Mucosal immune responses to meningococcal C polysaccharide-protein conjugate in mice.

Mucosal delivery of vaccines represents an attractive approach because this is a region of first contact point for inhaled antigens. We have obtained a meningococcal group C polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate (MGCP-TT) and evaluated it for intranasal route in mice. The conjugate was obtained by a developed method in our laboratory. The specific IgA in saliva and specific IgA and IgG in serum were measured by ELISA methods and bactericidal antibodies in sera against a meningococcal group C strain were measured. The conjugated elicited a significant increase in anti-MGCP salivary IgA and serum IgG and bactericidal antibodies concentrations, while specific serum IgA was not observed. These results indicated that after conjugation, there was a change in the responses for MGCP from thymus-independent to thymus-dependent and that it was effective by intranasal route.