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Yan A, Tian J, Ye J, Gao C, Ye L, Zhang D, Song Q. Construction of Toxoplasma gondii SRS29C nucleic acid vaccine and comparative immunoprotective study of an SRS29C and SAG1 combination. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2024; 259:111630. [PMID: 38795969 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that infects all nucleated cells except the red blood cells. Currently, nucleic acid vaccines are being widely investigated in Toxoplasma gondii control, and several nucleic acid vaccine candidate antigens have shown good protection in various studies. The aim of this study was to construct a nucleic acid vaccine with Toxoplasma gondii SRS29C as the target gene. We explored the nucleic acid vaccine with Toxoplasma surface protein SRS29C and the combined gene of SRS29C and SAG1 and evaluated its immunoprotective effect against Toxoplasma gondii. To amplify the gene fragment and clone it to the expression vector, the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-SRS29C was constructed by PCR. Eukaryotic cells were transfected with the plasmid, and the expression of the target protein was assessed using the Western blot method. The level of serum IgG was determined via ELISA, and the splenic lymphocyte proliferation ability was detected using the CCK-8 method. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were measured by flow cytometry. Mice were immunised three times with single-gene nucleic acid vaccine and combination vaccine. Splenic lymphocytokine expression was determined using ELISA kits. The mice's survival time was monitored and recorded during an in vivo insect assault experiment, and the vaccine's protective power was assessed. The outcomes showed that PCR-amplification of an SRS29C gene fragment was successful. The 4,733-bp vector fragment and the 1,119-bp target segment were both recognised by double digestion. Additionally, after transfection of the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-SRS29C, Western blot examination of the extracted protein revealed the presence of a target protein strip at 66 kDa. The test results demonstrated that the IgG content in the serum of the pEGFP-SRS29C group and the co-immunization group was significantly higher than that of the PBS group and the empty vector group. The IgG potency induced by the co-immunization group was higher than that of the pEGFP-SRS29C group and the pEGFP-SAG1 group, the number of splenic lymphocyte proliferation number was higher than that of the PBS group and the empty vector group. The CD4+/CD8+ T ratio was higher than that of the PBS group and the empty vector group. The expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α in the splenocytes of the pEGFP-SRS29C group and the combined immunisation group was significantly higher following antigen stimulation. In the worm attack experiments, mice in the PBS and empty vector groups perished within 9 days of the worm attack, whereas mice in the pEGFP-SRS29C group survived for 18 days, mice in the pEGFP-SAG1 group survived for 21 days, and mice in the co-immunization group survived for 24 days. This demonstrates that the constructed Toxoplasma gondii nucleic acid vaccine pEGFP-SRS29C and the combined gene vaccine can induce mice to develop certain humoral and cellular immune responses, and enhance their ability to resist Toxoplasma gondii infection.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Toxoplasma/immunology
- Toxoplasma/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Protozoan Proteins/immunology
- Protozoan Proteins/genetics
- Protozoan Vaccines/immunology
- Protozoan Vaccines/genetics
- Mice
- Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
- Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology
- Antigens, Protozoan/immunology
- Antigens, Protozoan/genetics
- Immunoglobulin G/blood
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Female
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/prevention & control
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/immunology
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Spleen/immunology
- Spleen/parasitology
- Cell Proliferation
- Plasmids/genetics
- Plasmids/immunology
- Cytokines/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- An Yan
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Jing Tian
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Jianjun Ye
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Chuanliang Gao
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Liying Ye
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Dongchao Zhang
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Qiqi Song
- Agricultural Animal Breeding and Healthy Breeding Main Laboratory in Tianjin, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Agricultural University, China.
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Campos GM, Américo MF, Dos Santos Freitas A, Barroso FAL, da Cruz Ferraz Dutra J, Quaresma LS, Cordeiro BF, Laguna JG, de Jesus LCL, Fontes AM, Birbrair A, Santos TM, Azevedo V. Lactococcus lactis as an Interleukin Delivery System for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024; 16:352-366. [PMID: 36746838 PMCID: PMC9902259 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-023-10041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Target delivery of therapeutic agents with anti-inflammatory properties using probiotics as delivery and recombinant protein expression vehicles is a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, such as cancer and intestinal immune disorders. Lactococcus lactis, a Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) widely used in the dairy industry, is one of the most important microorganisms with GRAS status for human consumption, for which biotechnological tools have already been developed to express and deliver recombinant biomolecules with anti-inflammatory properties. Cytokines, for example, are immune system communication molecules present at virtually all levels of the immune response. They are essential in cellular and humoral processes, such as hampering inflammation or adjuvating in the adaptive immune response, making them good candidates for therapeutic approaches. This review discusses the advances in the development of new therapies and prophylactic approaches using LAB to deliver/express cytokines for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Munis Campos
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Monique Ferrary Américo
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Andria Dos Santos Freitas
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Joyce da Cruz Ferraz Dutra
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Silva Quaresma
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Fernandes Cordeiro
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Juliana Guimarães Laguna
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Luís Cláudio Lima de Jesus
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Aparecida Maria Fontes
- Genetics Department, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexander Birbrair
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Tulio Marcos Santos
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Uniclon Biotecnologia, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Huangfu L, Li R, Huang Y, Wang S. The IL-17 family in diseases: from bench to bedside. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:402. [PMID: 37816755 PMCID: PMC10564932 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01620-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family comprises six members (IL-17A-17F), and recently, all of its related receptors have been discovered. IL-17 was first discovered approximately 30 years ago. Members of this family have various biological functions, including driving an inflammatory cascade during infections and autoimmune diseases, as well as boosting protective immunity against various pathogens. IL-17 is a highly versatile proinflammatory cytokine necessary for vital processes including host immune defenses, tissue repair, inflammatory disease pathogenesis, and cancer progression. However, how IL-17 performs these functions remains controversial. The multifunctional properties of IL-17 have attracted research interest, and emerging data have gradually improved our understanding of the IL-17 signaling pathway. However, a comprehensive review is required to understand its role in both host defense functions and pathogenesis in the body. This review can aid researchers in better understanding the mechanisms underlying IL-17's roles in vivo and provide a theoretical basis for future studies aiming to regulate IL-17 expression and function. This review discusses recent progress in understanding the IL-17 signaling pathway and its physiological roles. In addition, we present the mechanism underlying IL-17's role in various pathologies, particularly, in IL-17-induced systemic lupus erythematosus and IL-17-related tumor cell transformation and metastasis. In addition, we have briefly discussed promising developments in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases and tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longjie Huangfu
- School of Stomatology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, P. R. China
| | - Ruiying Li
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Stomatology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, P. R. China
| | - Yamei Huang
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Stomatology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, P. R. China
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Stomatology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, P. R. China.
- Department of Stomatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570216, P. R. China.
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Zhang Y, Li D, Lu S, Zheng B. Toxoplasmosis vaccines: what we have and where to go? NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:131. [PMID: 36310233 PMCID: PMC9618413 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00563-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent major advances in developing effective vaccines against toxoplasmosis, finding new protective vaccination strategies remains a challenging and elusive goal as it is critical to prevent the disease. Over the past few years, various experimental approaches have shown that developing an effective vaccine against T. gondii is achievable. However, more remains unknown due to its complicated life cycle, difficulties in clinical translation, and lack of a standardized platform. This minireview summarizes the recent advances in the development of T. gondii vaccines and the main obstacles to developing a safe, effective and durable T. gondii vaccine. The successes and failures in developing and testing vaccine candidates for the T. gondii vaccine are also discussed, which may facilitate the future development of T. gondii vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhuo Zhang
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Institute of Parasitic Diseases, School of Basic Medicine and Forensics, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dan Li
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Institute of Parasitic Diseases, School of Basic Medicine and Forensics, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shaohong Lu
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Institute of Parasitic Diseases, School of Basic Medicine and Forensics, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Key Laboratory of Bio-tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Zheng
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Institute of Parasitic Diseases, School of Basic Medicine and Forensics, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China ,grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Key Laboratory of Bio-tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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5
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Correia A, Alves P, Fróis-Martins R, Teixeira L, Vilanova M. Protective Effect against Neosporosis Induced by Intranasal Immunization with Neospora caninum Membrane Antigens Plus Carbomer-Based Adjuvant. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10060925. [PMID: 35746533 PMCID: PMC9230871 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10060925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan responsible for abortion and stillbirths in cattle. We previously developed a mucosal vaccination approach using N. caninum membrane proteins and CpG adjuvant that conferred long-term protection against neosporosis in mice. Here, we have extended this approach by alternatively using the carbomer-based adjuvant Carbigen™ in the immunizing preparation. Immunized mice presented higher proportions and numbers of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Stimulation of spleen, lungs and liver leukocytes with parasite antigens induced a marked production of IFN-γ and IL-17A and, less markedly, IL-4. This balanced response was also evident in that both parasite-specific IgG1 and IgG2c were raised by immunization, together with specific intestinal IgA. Upon intraperitoneal infection with N. caninum, immunized mice presented lower parasitic burdens than sham-immunized controls. In the infected immunized mice, memory CD4+ T cells predominantly expressed T-bet and RORγt, and CD8+ T cells expressing T-bet were found increased. While spleen, lungs and liver leukocytes of both immunized and sham-immunized infected animals produced high amounts of IFN-γ, only the cells from immunized mice responded with high IL-17A production. Since in cattle both IFN-γ and IL-17A have been associated with protective mechanisms against N. caninum infection, the elicited cytokine profile obtained using CarbigenTM as adjuvant indicates that it could be worth exploring for bovine neosporosis vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Correia
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Alves
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Fróis-Martins
- Immunology Section, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luzia Teixeira
- UMIB—Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- ITR—Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, 4050-290 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel Vilanova
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Sun HC, Huang J, Fu Y, Hao LL, Liu X, Shi TY. Enhancing Immune Responses to a DNA Vaccine Encoding Toxoplasma gondii GRA7 Using Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles as an Adjuvant. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:787635. [PMID: 34976863 PMCID: PMC8716823 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.787635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infects almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. DNA vaccines are an effective strategy against T. gondii infection, but these vaccines have often been poorly immunogenic due to the poor distribution of plasmids or degradation by lysosomes. It is necessary to evaluate the antigen delivery system for optimal vaccination strategy. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to modulate and enhance the cellular humoral immune response. Here, we studied the immunological properties of calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaPNs) as nanoadjuvants to enhance the protective effect of T. gondii dense granule protein (GRA7). BALB/c mice were injected three times and then challenged with T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. Mice vaccinated with GRA7-pEGFP-C2+nano-adjuvant (CaPNs) showed a strong cellular immune response, as monitored by elevated levels of anti-T. gondii-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), a higher IgG2a-to-IgG1 ratio, elevated interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ production, and low IL-4 levels. We found that a significantly higher level of splenocyte proliferation was induced by GRA7-pEGFP-C2+nano-adjuvant (CaPNs) immunization, and a significantly prolonged survival time and decreased parasite burden were observed in vaccine-immunized mice. These data indicated that CaPN-based immunization with T. gondii GRA7 is a promising approach to improve vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Chao Sun
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Animal Epidemic Surveillance, Zhejiang Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Fu
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Li Hao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tuan-Yuan Shi
- Department of Animal Parasitology, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
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Fatollahzadeh M, Eskandarian A, Darani HY, Pagheh AS, Ahmadpour E. Evaluation of Th17 immune responses of recombinant DNA vaccine encoding GRA14 and ROP13 genes against Toxoplasma gondii in BALB/c mice. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2021; 96:105150. [PMID: 34801755 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, a worldwide opportunistic parasite, causes serious diseases in both humans and fetuses with defective immune systems. The development of an effective vaccine is urgently required to prevent and control the spread of toxoplasmosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii which is one of the most damaging zoonotic diseases of global importance. Plasmid DNA vaccination is a promising procedure for vaccine development and following the previous studies, pcROP13 + pcGRA14 cocktail DNA vaccine was evaluated for Th17 immune responses. Four groups of BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly three times at 2-week intervals. Subsequently, the production of anti- T. gondii antibodies and serum levels of cytokines IL-17, and IL-22 were evaluated against the RH strain of T. gondii. In addition, both the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and parasite load were assessed using ELISA and Q-PCR, respectively. The results of this study showed that high levels of IgG were found in mice immunized with cocktail DNA vaccine (p < 0.05). The cytokines level of Th17, IL-17, and IL-22, increased remarkably in the immunized mice (p < 0.05). Also, significant induction (p < 0.05) was observed in ROS. In addition, immunization with pcROP13 + GRA14 resulted in a considerable decrease in parasite load compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). Based on the results, the pcROP13 + GRA14 cocktail DNA vaccine induced Th17 related cytokines and decreased the parasite load in spleen and brain tissues. Hence, pcGRA14 + pcROP13 cocktails are suitable candidates for DNA-based vaccines and due to the development of protective immune responses against T. gondii infection, future studies may yield promising results using these antigens in vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Fatollahzadeh
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Abbasali Eskandarian
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Hossein Yousofi Darani
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Abdol Sattar Pagheh
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Ehsan Ahmadpour
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Wu L, Yang H, Wang J, Yu X, He Y, Chen S. A Novel Combined DNA Vaccine Encoding Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 and ROP18 Provokes Protective Immunity Against a Lethal Challenge in Mice. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:1387-1395. [PMID: 34019277 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00415-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Antigens expressed by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) during its life cycle trigger various immune responses in the host. Recently, toxoplasma vaccine research focused on T. gondii surface antigen 1 (SAG1) and Rhoptry Protein 18 (ROP18) to establish a safe and efficacious DNA vaccine. METHOD We constructed two eukaryotic expression plasmids: p3 × FLAG-Myc-CMV™-24-SAG1 and p3 × FLAG-Myc-CMV™-24-ROP18. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups and immunized with these DNA vaccines either separately or in combination. The combination vaccine was administered at either the full dose or at half-strength dose. Control mice were immunized with empty vector or with phosphate-buffered saline. RESULTS The frequency of CD4+ cells in the spleen was consistent among all groups, whereas that of CD8+ T cells was the highest in the group immunized with the combination vaccine at half-strength dose (p < 0.05). Importantly, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were closely correlated (r = 0.6, p < 0.0001) and both were upregulated in the group that was immunized with the combination vaccine at half-strength dose (p < 0.0001). The survival time of the mice subjected to a lethal dose of toxoplasma was significantly extended by prior immunization with DNA vaccines expressing either SAG1 or ROP18 or a combination of both (p < 0.05). The group that was immunized with the combination vaccine at half-strength dose demonstrated the best efficacy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION These results showed that the combination DNA vaccine provided better immune protection than the single gene vaccines, and that optimizing the dosing of the vaccine can improve the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamei Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Anting Hospital, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - Huijian Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Jianglin Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - Xiuwen Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China
| | - Yanhong He
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Anting Hospital, Jiading District, Shanghai, 201800, China.
| | - Shenxia Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Medical College of Jiangsu University, ZhenJiang, 212013, China.
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Warner RC, Chapman RC, Davis BN, Davis PH. REVIEW OF DNA VACCINE APPROACHES AGAINST THE PARASITE TOXOPLASMA GONDII. J Parasitol 2021; 107:882-903. [PMID: 34852176 DOI: 10.1645/20-157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that affects both humans and livestock. Transmitted to humans through ingestion, it is the second-leading cause of foodborne illness-related death. Currently, there exists no approved vaccine for humans or most livestock against the parasite. DNA vaccines, a type of subunit vaccine which uses segments of the pathogen's DNA to generate immunity, have shown varying degrees of experimental efficacy against infection caused by the parasite. This review compiles DNA vaccine efforts against Toxoplasma gondii, segmenting the analysis by parasite antigen, as well as a review of concomitant adjuvant usage. No single antigenic group was consistently more effective within in vivo trials relative to others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalie C Warner
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, 68182
| | - Ryan C Chapman
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, 68182
| | - Brianna N Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, 68182
| | - Paul H Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, 68182
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Evangelista FF, Nishi L, Colli CM, Sant'Ana PDL, Higa LT, Muniz LHG, Falavigna-Guilherme AL. Increased levels of IL-17A in serum and amniotic fluid of pregnant women with acute toxoplasmosis. Acta Trop 2021; 222:106019. [PMID: 34157293 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
This study detected and compared the levels of Il-17A, IFN-gamma and IL-10 in the amniotic fluid (AF) and serum of pregnant women with acute toxoplasmosis in southern Brazil. It also compared the serum levels of these mediators in pregnant women with acute or chronic toxoplasmosis and with uninfected women. The serological investigations of anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG from the 60 pregnant women were determined by chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). Twenty patients were uninfected, twenty were in the chronic phase and twenty were in the acute phase of toxoplasmosis. The 20 pregnant women in acute phase all agreed with amniocentesis. Serum and AF cytokines were evaluated by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The analyzed cytokines showed no significant difference in blood versus amniotic fluid levels of pregnant women in the acute toxoplasmosis. Furthermore, we observed that serum IL-17A was significantly higher in pregnant women in the acute phase of infection compared to pregnant women with chronic toxoplasmosis and seronegative pregnant women. T. gondii DNA was not amplified in any of the samples of amniotic fluid by the nested-PCR reaction. Serum IL-10 levels were also higher in negative pregnant women than in infected pregnant women. Our findings indicate the activation of an inflammatory response to infection by T. gondii and suggest that increased production of IL-17A may be a protective factor against infection of the fetus.
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Chu KB, Quan FS. Advances in Toxoplasma gondii Vaccines: Current Strategies and Challenges for Vaccine Development. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9050413. [PMID: 33919060 PMCID: PMC8143161 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most damaging parasite-borne zoonotic diseases of global importance. While approximately one-third of the entire world’s population is estimated to be infected with T. gondii, an effective vaccine for human use remains unavailable. Global efforts in pursuit of developing a T. gondii vaccine have been ongoing for decades, and novel innovative approaches have been introduced to aid this process. A wide array of vaccination strategies have been conducted to date including, but not limited to, nucleic acids, protein subunits, attenuated vaccines, and nanoparticles, which have been assessed in rodents with promising results. Yet, translation of these in vivo results into clinical studies remains a major obstacle that needs to be overcome. In this review, we will aim to summarize the current advances in T. gondii vaccine strategies and address the challenges hindering vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Back Chu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea;
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, School of Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
- Department of Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
- Correspondence:
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Pagheh AS, Daryani A, Alizadeh P, Hassannia H, Rodrigues Oliveira SM, Kazemi T, Rezaei F, Pereira MDL, Ahmadpour E. Protective effect of a DNA vaccine cocktail encoding ROP13 and GRA14 with Alum nano-adjuvant against Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 132:105920. [PMID: 33421633 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.105920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause serious public health problems. The development of a safe and effective vaccine against T. gondii is urgently needed to prevent and control the spread of toxoplasmosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune responses induced by a pcGRA14 + pcROP13 vaccine cocktail in BALB/c mice. All groups were immunized intramuscularly three times at two-week intervals. The production of anti-Toxoplasma gondii lysate antigen (TLA) antibodies, lymphocyte proliferation, serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines and the survival time were monitored after vaccination and challenged with the virulent RH strain of T. gondii. The results showed that immunization with the pcGRA14 + pcROP13 DNA vaccine significantly increased the production of specific IgG antibodies and cytokines against toxoplasmosis. Interestingly, high levels of IgG2a and IFN-γ were found in animals vaccinated with DNA vaccine cocktail. Furthermore, immunized mice challenged with the RH strain of T. gondii showed prolonged survival time when compared to control groups (P <0.05). The present study demonstrates the potential of a DNA cocktail vaccine expressing pcGRA14 and pcROP13 in developing specific immune responses and providing effective protection against T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdol Sattar Pagheh
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Paria Alizadeh
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hadi Hassannia
- Amol Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Tohid Kazemi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Maria de Lourdes Pereira
- CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ehsan Ahmadpour
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Zhou P, Wu H, Chen S, Bai Q, Chen X, Chen L, Zeng X, Liu L, Chen L. MOMP and MIP DNA-loaded bacterial ghosts reduce the severity of lung lesions in mice after Chlamydia psittaci respiratory tract infection. Immunobiology 2019; 224:739-746. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Kang HJ, Lee SH, Kim MJ, Chu KB, Lee DH, Chopra M, Choi HJ, Park H, Jin H, Quan FS. Influenza Virus-Like Particles Presenting both Toxoplasma gondii ROP4 and ROP13 Enhance Protection against T. gondii Infection. Pharmaceutics 2019; 11:pharmaceutics11070342. [PMID: 31315212 PMCID: PMC6680409 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11070342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhoptry organelle proteins (ROPs) secreted by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) play a critical role during parasite invasion into host cells. In this study, virus-like particles (VLPs) vaccines containing ROP4 and/or ROP13 together with influenza M1 were generated. ROP4+ROP13 VLPs were produced by combining ROP4 VLPs with ROP13 VLPs, and ROP(4 + 13) VLPs by co-infecting insect cells with recombinant baculovirus expressing ROP4 or ROP13. Mice intranasally immunized with ROP(4 + 13) VLPs showed significantly higher levels of IgG, IgG1, IgG2a and IgA antibody responses in sera compared to ROP4+ROP13VLPs. Upon challenge infection by oral route, mice immunized with ROP(4 + 13) VLPs elicited higher levels of IgG and IgA antibody responses in fecal, urine, intestine and vaginal samples as well as CD4+ T, CD8+ T cells, and germinal center B cell responses compared to other type of vaccines, ROP4 VLPs, ROP13 VLPs, and ROP4+ROP13 VLPs. ROP(4 + 13) VLPs vaccination showed a significant decrease in the size and number of cyst in the brain and less body weight loss compared to combination ROP4+ROP13 VLPs upon challenge infection with T. gondii ME49. These results indicated that the ROP(4 + 13) VLPs vaccination provided enhanced protection against T. gondii infection compared to ROP4+ROP13 VLPs, providing an important insight into vaccine design strategy for T. gondii VLPs vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae-Ji Kang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Su-Hwa Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Min-Ju Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Ki-Back Chu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Dong-Hun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Manika Chopra
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V4, Canada
| | - Hyo-Jick Choi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V4, Canada
| | | | - Hui Jin
- Health Park Co., Ltd., Seoul 06627, Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Korea.
- Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, School of Medicine, Graduate school, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
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