Recombinant toxin-coregulated pilus A (TcpA) as a candidate subunit cholera vaccine

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The toxin co-regulated pilus A (TcpA) has been described as a critical pathogenicity factor of Vibrio cholerae. TcpA is a candidate for making subunit vaccine against cholera. The aim of this study was to produce a candidate vaccine by expressing recombinant TcpA in E. coli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the toxin co-regulated pilus A gene from EL-Tor, V. cholerae subspecies, was amplified by PCR and sub-cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pGEX4T1. E. coli BL21 (DE3) was transformed with pGEX4T1- TcpA and gene expression was induced by IPTG and purified by GST resin. The integrity of the product was confirmed by Western blot analysis using a standard rabbit anti-V. cholerae antibody. Sera reactivity of infected individuals was further analyzed against the recombinant TcpA protein. RESULTS: The concentration of purified recombinant protein was calculated to be 8 mg/L of initial culture. The integrity of product was confirmed by Western blot analysis using a standard rabbit anti V. cholerae antibody. Sera reactivity of infected individual was further analyzed against the recombinant TcpA protein. The obtained data indicated that recombinant TcpA protein from V. cholerae was recognized by patient serum and animal sera. CONCLUSION: These results show that the recombinant TcpA is antigenic and could be used in a carrier host as an oral vaccine against cholera.