Progress in the development ofLactococcus lactis as a recombinant mucosal vaccine delivery system

The non-pathogenic, non-colonising Gram-positive organismLactobacillus lactis is beeing developed as an antigen delivery system for mucosal vaccination. A high level expression system has been developed which allows loading of the bacterium with high levels of a heterologous antigen (TTFC) prior to inoculaton. Mucosal inoculaton of one such recombinant strain results in a protective serum antibody response and production of TTFC-specific IgA at mucosal sites.