IFN-α Boosting of Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette Güerin-Vaccine Promoted Th1 Type Cellular Response and Protection against M. tuberculosis Infection

Table 1

A prime-boost protocol based on BCG-priming and IFN-alpha protects adult mice from M. tuberculosis aerosol challenge.

Vaccine	Lung CFUs	Lung protection		Spleen CFUs	Spleen protection
		control versus BCG			control versus BCG
Control	5.1 ± 1.27			4.7 ± 0.71
BCG	4.0 ± 0.99	1.1		3.7 ± 0.78	1.0
IFN-α	4.8 ± 0.64	0.3		4.4 ± 0.14	0.3
BCG-IFN-α	3.7 ± 0.37	1.4	0.3	2.8 ± 0.67	1.9	0.9

Data are represented as mean ± standard deviations of the log₁₀ –transformed bacterial (CFUs) of M. tuberculosis per organ. Aerosol challenge. Protection is calculated with respect to control of vaccination (BCG) and with respect to PBS-immunized newborn mice (control). The data reported are significant at with respect to control mice and significant at with respect to BCG control of vaccination with no boost. One representative of a total of two independent experiments is shown.