Oral immunization with chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP)

Abstract

The effect of vaccination to stimulate mucosal immunity with a purified subunit vaccine of chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) on subsequent ocular challenge with Chlamydia trachomatis was studied in cynomolgus monkeys. Monkeys were immunized with MOMP by intraperitoneal priming plus oral boosting, with or without ocular boosting, or by ocular immunization alone. Cholera toxin was used as an adjuvant with the oral doses of MOMP vaccine. Animals were challenged with viable purified elementary bodies 35 days after the first immunization. The immunizing schedules used provided a transient decrease in the potentially deleterious inflammatory response in the eye but no reduction in dur..