Immune response induced by recombinant BCG expressing merozoite surface antigen 2 from Plasmodium falciparum.

Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been used as a live bacterial vaccine to immunize >3 billion people against tuberculosis. In an attempt to use this vaccinal strain as a vehicle for protective antigens, the recombinant BCG (rBCG), expressing merozoite surface antigen 2 (MSA2) from Plasmodium falciparum under the control of an expression cassette carrying the promoter of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) from M. tuberculosis, was constructed and used to immunize BABL/c mice. The administration of rBCG producing MSA2 (BCG-MSA2) resulted in the induction of a strong humoral and cellular response directed against MSA2. These results encourage the further protection testing of BCG-MSA2 vaccines in primate models.