Ex vivo mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA) for tuberculosis vaccine testing - a protocol for mouse splenocytes

Zelmer, Andrea Andrea; Tanner, Rachel; Stylianou, Elena; Morris, Sheldon; Izzo, Angelo; Williams, Ann; Sharpe, Sally; Pepponi, Ilaria; Walker, Barry; Hokey, David A; +3 more... McShane, Helen; Brennan, Michael; Fletcher, Helen; Ex vivo mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA) for tuberculosis vaccine testing - a protocol for mouse splenocytes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/020560

Abstract

The testing of vaccines for tuberculosis is costly and time-consuming, and dependent on preclinical animal challenge models and clinical trials. We have recently developed a mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA) to test vaccine efficacy ex vivo. This assay measures the summative effect of the host immune response and may serve as a novel tool to facilitate vaccine testing. It has generated much interest recently, and to facilitate technology transfer and reproducibility between laboratories, we here describe a detailed protocol for an ex vivo MGIA in mouse splenocytes.