Recombinant Modified Vaccina Virus Ankara (MVA) and Heat-killed Listeria (HKL) as novel vaccines for the prevention of allergies

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The frequency of allergies in children to food and inhalant allergens has increased over time. Moreover, allergy in children is often characterized by a chronological sequence of clinical symptoms; onset of rhinitis and asthma following food allergy (“atopic march”). No allergen-specific prophylactic treatments or vaccines are currently available. Although studies suggest that exposure to bacteria or viral infections during early childhood may reduce the risk for the development of allergies, its immunological basis is still controversially discussed. The hypothesis of this project is that recombinant modified vaccinia viruses Ankara (MVA) and recombinant fusion proteins of Listeria monocytogenes flagellin with allergens may be effective novel vaccines for prevention of food allergy. Ara h 2 from peanut and ovalbumin (OVA) are selected as model allergens since Ara h 2 represents a very potent major allergen from one of the most allergenic foods, and OVA has been used as experimental allergen in numerous studies. Vaccination and sensitization protocols will be evaluated in mice in regard to symptom score, modulation of IgE antibody production, cellular immune response, and Th2 cytokines. Furthermore, the effects of vaccination against food allergy on the susceptibility to a primary sensitization to unrelated inhalant allergens will be studied. The proposed pre-clinical studies in mice will give information regarding the potential of these novel MVA and HKL-based vaccines to prevent (food) allergies in humans.