DNA Vaccines Encoding Toxoplasma gondii Cathepsin C 1 Induce Protection against Toxoplasmosis in Mice
- Author:
Yali HAN
1
;
Aihua ZHOU
;
Gang LU
;
Guanghui ZHAO
;
Wenchao SHA
;
Lin WANG
;
Jingjing GUO
;
Jian ZHOU
;
Huaiyu ZHOU
;
Hua CONG
;
Shenyi HE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; DNA vaccine; CPC1; protective immunity; mouse
- MeSH: Animals; B-Lymphocytes; Cathepsin C; Cathepsins; DNA; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; Immunoglobulin G; Interleukin-2; Mice; Peptide Hydrolases; Spleen; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Vaccines, DNA
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2017;55(5):505-512
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii cathepsin C proteases (TgCPC1, 2, and 3) are important for the growth and survival of T. gondii. In the present study, B-cell and T-cell epitopes of TgCPC1 were predicted using DNAstar and the Immune Epitope Database. A TgCPC1 DNA vaccine was constructed, and its ability to induce protective immune responses against toxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice was evaluated in the presence or absence of the adjuvant α-GalCer. As results, TgCPC1 DNA vaccine with or without adjuvant α-GalCer showed higher levels of IgG and IgG2a in the serum, as well as IL-2 and IFN-γ in the spleen compared to controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and α-Galcer). Upon challenge infection with tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH), pCPC1/α-Galcer immunized mice showed the longest survival among all the groups. Mice vaccinated with DNA vaccine without adjuvant (pCPC1) showed better protective immunity compared to other controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and α-Galcer). These results indicate that a DNA vaccine encoding TgCPC1 is a potential vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis.
