Vaccine composition against streptococcus suis infection

Abstract

Described is a vaccine composition comprising an effective amount of at least one polypeptide selected from the group of IdeSsuis, rIdeSsuis, an analogue or a fragment thereof, or a polynucleotide encoding the same. This vaccine composition is used in the prophylactic, metaphylactic or therapeutic treatment of a Streptococcus suis infections in pigs or humans.

1 . A vaccine composition comprising an effective amount of at least one polypeptide or at least one vector selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) an protein designated IdeSsuis having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, an analogue or a fragment thereof comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto;   (b) a protein designated rIdeSsuis having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 6 or 7, an analogue or a fragment thereof comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto;   (c) a vector with a polynucleotide inserted therein encoding the protein IdeSsuis, or an analogue or a fragment thereof as defined in (a); and   (d) a vector with a polynucleotide inserted therein encoding the protein rIdeSsuis, or an analogue or a fragment thereof as defined in b),   
       and at least a pharmaceutical carrier, a diluent, or an adjuvant. 
     
     
         2 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protein designated JdeSsuis of (a) comprises a fragment having an IgM protease activity. 
     
     
         3 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protein designated rIdeSsuis of (b) comprises an amino acid sequence lacking the amino acids from position 1 to 34 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment having an IgM protease activity. 
     
     
         4 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protein or vector is the only active or immunogenic ingredient. 
     
     
         5 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , a fragment of the effective amount of said polypeptide of (a) or (b) is part of a fusion protein with at least one other protein. 
     
     
         6 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , containing an overall amount of about 0.05-2 mg of protein. 
     
     
         7 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or a complementary sequence thereto; a fragment of the sequence thereof encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5; or an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto, preferably having IgM protease activity. 
     
     
         8 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 8, or 9 or a complementary sequence thereto; a fragment of the sequence thereof or encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto, preferably having IgM protease activity. 
     
     
         9 . The vaccine composition of  claim 7 , wherein said polynucleotide is DNA or RNA, wherein said polynucleotide preferably is integrated into a vector, wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to an expression control region of the vector, and wherein the vector is an expression vector which is a plasmid or a viral vector. 
     
     
         10 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1 , provided in a physiologically administrable form and is suitable for intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous or dermal injection or mucosal application. 
     
     
         11 . An IdeSsuis protein comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto. 
     
     
         12 . An rIdeSsuis protein comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or 7, or an amino acid sequence which is at least 60%, preferably 70% and most preferably 85% homologous to the amino acid sequence of the protein IdeSsuis of SEQ ID NO: 6 or 7, or an analogue or a fragment thereof comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% homologous thereto. 
     
     
         13 . An antibody which recognizes the IdeSsuis protein or the rIdeSsuis protein of  claim 1 , or an analogue or fragment thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A parenteral composition comprising the antibody of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . The use of the IdeSsuis protein or the rIdeSsuis protein of  claim 1  for producing an antibody that recognizes the same. 
     
     
         16 . A host cell transfected with a polynucleotide encoding the IdeSsuis protein of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         17 . The vaccine composition of  claim 1  or a parenteral composition comprising an antibody that recognizes the IdeSsuis protein or the rIdeSsuis protein of  claim 1  or an analogue or fragment thereof for use in a prophylactic, metaphylactic, or therapeutic treatment of a  Streptococcus suis  infection in pigs or humans. 
     
     
         18 . The vaccine composition of  claim 17  for use in a prophylactic, metaphylactic, or therapeutic treatment of a  Streptococcus suis  infection in pigs or humans, wherein the treatment involves at least one, preferably two immunizations. 
     
     
         19 . The vaccine composition of  claim 18  for use in a prophylactic, metaphylactic or therapeutic treatment of a  Streptococcus suis  infection in pigs or humans, wherein the overall dosage of IdeSsuis or rIdeSsuis administered per pig/human is 0.05-2.0 mg. 
     
     
         20 . A host cell transfected with a polynucleotide encoding the rIdeSsuis protein of  claim 12 .