Novel Prophylactic Vaccine Using a Prime-Boost Method and Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan-Envelope against Tuberculosis

Objective. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a major global threat to human health. The only tuberculosis (TB) vaccine currently available is bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), although it has no efficacy in adults. Therefore, the development of a novel vaccine against TB for adults is desired. Method. A novel TB vaccine expressing mycobacterial heat shock protein 65 (HSP65) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) delivered by the hemagglutinating virus of Japan- (HVJ)- envelope was evaluated against TB infection in mice. Bacterial load reductions and histopathological assessments were used to determine efficacy. Results. Vaccination by BCG prime with IgHSP65+murine IL-12/HVJ-envelope boost resulted in significant protective efficacy (>10, 000-fold versus BCG alone) against TB infection in the lungs of mice. In addition to bacterial loads, significant protective efficacy was demonstrated by histopathological analysis of the lungs. Furthermore, the vaccine increased the number of T cells secreting IFN-γ. Conclusion. This vaccine showed extremely significant protection against TB in a mouse model, consistent with results from a similar paper on cynomolgus monkeys. The results suggest that further development of the vaccine for eventual testing in clinical trials may be warranted

Catechins and Caffeine Inhibit Fat Accumulation in Mice through the Improvement of Hepatic Lipid Metabolism

To elucidate the inhibiting mechanisms of fat accumulation by catechins, caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), ICR mice were fed diets containing either 0.3% catechins or 0.1% EGCG and/or 0.05% caffeine for 4 weeks. After the feeding, intraperitoneal adipose tissues weights were significantly lower in the caffeine, catechins + caffeine, and EGCG + caffeine groups compared to controls. Hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity in the catechins + caffeine group was significantly lower, and the activities of acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-II (CPT-II) were significantly higher, compared to the control group. However, these activities were not observed in the other groups. FAS mRNA expression levels in the catechins + caffeine group were significantly lower than in the control group. ACO and CPT-II mRNA levels were not different among all of the treatment groups. These findings indicate that the inhibitory effects of fat accumulation via a combination of catechins, EGCG, or caffeine were stronger collectively than by either catechins, EGCG, or caffeine alone. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the combination of catechins and caffeine induced inhibition of fat accumulation by suppression of fatty acid synthesis and upregulation of the enzymatic activities involved in β-oxidation of fatty acid in the liver, but this result was not observed by combination of EGCG and caffeine