摘要The flagellin component FliC of Salmonella typhimurium is capable of activating the innate immune system via specific interactions with TLR5 and can also act as a carrier of foreign antigen to elicit antigen-specific immune responses.Thus,we constructed an attenuated Salmonella strain SL5928(fliC/esat) expressing chimeric flagellin that contained the ESAT-6 antigen coding sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis inserted into the highly variable region of the Salmonella flagellin coding gene fliCi.The chimeric flagellin functioned normally,as demonstrated using a flagella swarming assay and electron microscopy.To analyze the effects of chimeric flagellin,the cell-mediated immune response and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effects specific for ESAT-6antigen were tested after intranasal immunization of mice with flagellated Salmonella SL5928(fliC/esat).The results showed that SL5928(fliC/esat) intranasal immunization can strongly elicit an ESAT-6-specific T helper (Th) 1-type immune response in mucosal lymphoid tissues,such as nasopharynx-associated lymph nodes,lung and Peyer's patches,and a Th 1/Th2 response was elicited in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes.Furthermore,intranasal immunization of SL5928(fliC/esat) produced efficient CTL effects,as demonstrated using a 5-and 6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay.Thus,our study revealed that Salmonella flagellin acts as a carrier for foreign antigen and triggers strong Th 1 and CTL responses during intranasal immunization.Chimeric flagellin is potentially an effective strategy for the development of novel vaccines against tuberculosis in humans and animals.