Oral/Intravaginal Delivery for Chlamydia Vaccine

We will develop of a safe and effective vaccine against sexually transmitted diseases causedby chlamydia trachomatis. The objectives of our studies are to investigate the immunogenicity andefficacy of microparticles for oral immunization and bioadhesive microspheres for intravaginalimmunization, both containing a selected oligopeptide immunogen from C. trachomatis. We will (1)design and assess a microparticle-based oral vaccine for its ability to induce potent vaginal and systemicimmune responses against a synthetic peptide immunogen corresponding to a neutralizing antibodydomain on the relevant serovars of C. trachomatis, (2) design and assess a microsphere-basedintravaginal vaccine for its ability to induce potent vaginal and systemic immune responses to the peptideimmunogen from C. trachomatis, and (3) determine the ability of oral and intravaginal vaccines to induceprotective immunity against chlamydial challenge in a relevant mouse model of infection and undertakepreliminary studies to investigate the potential of combined oral/intravaginal immunization to induceoptimal immune responses in the genital tract of female mice.