Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41893751›Full record

ArticleVaccines2026

Immunogenicity and Protective Effects of an Ag85B Tuberculosis Subunit Vaccine Formulated with Synthetic TLR4 Agonists in BCG-Boosted Mice.

Soo-Min Kim, Jin-Seung Yun, EunJung Shin, Jinhee Lee, You-Jin Kim, Hye-Sook Jeong, Yong Woo Jung, Dokeun Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Vaccines, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Soo-Min KimDivision of Infectious Disease Vaccine Research, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 212 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.
Jin-Seung YunDivision of Infectious Disease Vaccine Research, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 212 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0009-6777-9614
EunJung ShinBio Research Center, Quratis Inc., Osong 28161, Republic of Korea.
Jinhee LeeBio Research Center, Quratis Inc., Osong 28161, Republic of Korea.
You-Jin KimDivision of Infectious Disease Vaccine Research, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 212 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.
Hye-Sook JeongDivision of Infectious Disease Vaccine Research, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 212 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0006-9819-2398
Yong Woo JungCollege of Pharmacy, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-5599-0553
Dokeun KimDivision of Infectious Disease Vaccine Research, Center for Vaccine Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 212 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.

Funding

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency 2022-NI070-02
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesTuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge, and the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has limited efficacy against adult pulmonary disease. Protein subunit vaccines are a promising alternative but require strong adjuvants to induce cell-mediated immunity. Synthetic agonists targeting toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and stimulators of interferon genes (STINGs) have emerged as effective immunostimulants. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of Ag85B-based subunit vaccines formulated with synthetic TLR4 and STING agonists in a BCG-boosted mouse model.

methodsThree synthetic adjuvants-QTP709-1, QTP709-3, and QTP701-were formulated as oil-in-water emulsions containing distinct surfactant and immunostimulant components. The potential of vaccine formulations to activate dendritic cells (DCs) and elicit Ag85B-specific immune responses, including IgG subclass levels, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spots, and polyfunctional T-cell responses, was assessed by flow cytometry. Protective efficacy was evaluated based on pulmonary bacterial burden and histopathology following

resultsAll formulations promoted DC maturation and enhanced antigen-specific immune responses. Each adjuvant elicited strong Ag85B-specific humoral immunity, increased IFN-γ secretion, and polyfunctional CD4

conclusionsSynthetic TLR4 and STING agonists were associated with enhanced immunogenicity of TB subunit vaccines and showed evidence of protective potential, with TLR4-based formulations exhibiting more pronounced immunological responses. QTP709-1 exhibited strong immunostimulatory and protective effects, supporting its potential as a candidate adjuvant for next-generation TB vaccines.

Indexed as

adjuvantSTING agonistsubunit vaccineTLR4 agonisttuberculosis vaccine

Identifiers

PMID41893751
PMCPMC13030416

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.