A genital tract peptide epitope vaccine targeting TLR-2 efficiently induces local and systemic CD8(+) T cells and protects against herpes simplex virus type 2 challenge

The next generation of needle-free mucosal vaccines is being rationally designed according to rules that govern the way in which the epitopes are recognized by and stimulate the genital mucosal immune system. We hypothesized that synthetic peptide epitopes extended with an agonist of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2), that are abundantly expressed by dendritic and epithelial cells of the vaginal mucosa, would lead to induction of protective immunity against genital herpes. To test this hypothesis, we intravaginally (IVAG) immunized wild-type B6, TLR-2 (TLR2(−/−)) or myeloid differentiation factor 88 deficient (MyD88(−/−)) mice with a herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) CD8(+) T-cell peptide epitope extended by a palmitic acid moiety (a TLR-2 agonist). IVAG delivery of the lipopeptide generated HSV-2-specific memory CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells both locally in the genital tract draining lymph nodes and systemically in the spleen. Moreover, lipopeptide-immunized TLR2(−/−) and MyD88(−/−) mice developed significantly less HSV-specific CD8(+) T-cell response, earlier death, faster disease progression, and higher vaginal HSV-2 titers compared to lipopeptide-immunized wild-type B6 mice. IVAG immunization with self-adjuvanting lipid-tailed peptides appears to be a novel mucosal vaccine approach, which has attractive practical and immunological features.