We have developed a novel
tuberculosis (TB)
vaccine; a combination of the
DNA vaccines expressing mycobacterial
heat shock protein 65 (HSP65) and
interleukin 12 (IL-12) delivered by the hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-envelope and -
liposome (HSP65 + IL-12/HVJ). This
vaccine provided remarkable protective efficacy in mouse model compared to the BCG. This
vaccine also provided therapeutic efficacy against multi-
drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extremely
drug resistant TB (
XDR-TB) in murine models. Furthermore, we extended our studies to a cynomolgus monkey model, which is currently the best animal model of human
tuberculosis. This novel
vaccine provided a higher level of the protective efficacy than BCG based upon the assessment of mortality. The BCG prime and HSP65 + IL-12/HVJ
vaccine (boost) by the prime-boost method showed a synergistic prophylactic effect in the monkey. Furthermore, this
vaccine exerted therapeutic efficacy (100% survival) and augmentation of immune responses in the TB-infected monkeys.HVJ-Envelope/HSP65 DNA + IL-12
DNA vaccine increased the
body weight of TB-infected monkeys, improved the ESR, and augmented the immuneresponses (proliferation of PBL and IL-2 production). The enhancement of
IL-2 production from monkeys treated with this
vaccine was correlated with the therapeutic efficacy of the
vaccine. These data indicate that our novel
DNA vaccine might be useful against Mycobacterium tuberculosis including
XDR-TB and MDR-TB for human therapeutic clinical trials.