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Daher D, Shaghlil A, Sobh E, Hamie M, Hassan ME, Moumneh MB, Itani S, El Hajj R, Tawk L, El Sabban M, El Hajj H. Comprehensive Overview of Toxoplasma gondii-Induced and Associated Diseases. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111351. [PMID: 34832507 PMCID: PMC8625914 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a prevalent protozoan parasite of medical and veterinary significance. It is the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a neglected disease in which incidence and symptoms differ between patients and regions. In immunocompetent patients, toxoplasmosis manifests as acute and chronic forms. Acute toxoplasmosis presents as mild or asymptomatic disease that evolves, under the host immune response, into a persistent chronic disease in healthy individuals. Chronic toxoplasmosis establishes as latent tissue cysts in the brain and skeletal muscles. In immunocompromised patients, chronic toxoplasmosis may reactivate, leading to a potentially life-threatening condition. Recently, the association between toxoplasmosis and various diseases has been shown. These span primary neuropathies, behavioral and psychiatric disorders, and different types of cancer. Currently, a direct pre-clinical or clinical molecular connotation between toxoplasmosis and most of its associated diseases remains poorly understood. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on Toxoplasma-induced and associated diseases with a focus on available knowledge of the molecular players dictating these associations. We will also abridge the existing therapeutic options of toxoplasmosis and highlight the current gaps to explore the implications of toxoplasmosis on its associated diseases to advance treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darine Daher
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
| | - Ahmad Shaghlil
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, R. Hariri Campus, Lebanese University, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (A.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Eyad Sobh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, R. Hariri Campus, Lebanese University, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (A.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Maguy Hamie
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
| | - Malika Elhage Hassan
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
| | - Mohamad Bahij Moumneh
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
| | - Shaymaa Itani
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
| | - Rana El Hajj
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut 1107 2809, Lebanon;
| | - Lina Tawk
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut 1100 2807, Lebanon;
| | - Marwan El Sabban
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon;
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; (D.D.); (M.H.); (M.E.H.); (M.B.M.); (S.I.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +961–1-350000 (ext. 4897)
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Virus-Like Particle Vaccines Against Respiratory Viruses and Protozoan Parasites. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2021; 433:77-106. [PMID: 33650036 DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The field of vaccinology underwent massive advances over the past decades with the introduction of virus-like particles (VLPs), a supra-molecular nanoparticle vaccine platform that resembles viral structures without the ability to replicate in hosts. This innovative approach has been remarkably effective, as evidenced by its profound immunogenicity and safety. These highly desirable intrinsic properties enabled their further development as vaccines against a multitude of diseases. To date, several VLP-based vaccines have already been commercialized and many more are undergoing clinical evaluation prior to FDA approval. However, efficacious vaccines against a plethora of pathogens are still lacking, which imposes a tremendous socioeconomic burden and continues to threaten public health throughout the globe. This is especially the case for several respiratory pathogens and protozoan parasites. In this review, we briefly describe the fundamentals of VLP vaccines and the unique properties that enable these to be such valuable vaccine candidates and summarize current advances in VLP-based vaccines targeting respiratory and parasitic diseases of global importance.
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Borkens Y. [Toxoplasma gondii-Current drugs and future vaccines against an underestimated protozoan infection]. Internist (Berl) 2021; 62:1123-1132. [PMID: 34467425 DOI: 10.1007/s00108-021-01155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a unicellular organism of the Apicomplexa that occurs worldwide and is therefore a close relative of the malaria pathogen Plasmodium. As T. gondii infests every warm-blooded vertebrate species as an intermediate host and has a very high prevalence worldwide, toxoplasmosis is one of the most important international foodborne diseases. Potential vaccines (human as well as veterinary) play a crucial role in controlling this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Borkens
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Science, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, 4811, Townsville, Queensland, Australien.
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Passive Immunity and Antibody Response Induced by Toxoplasma gondii VLP Immunization. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9050425. [PMID: 33922808 PMCID: PMC8146287 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Passive immunity can provide immediate protection against infectious pathogens. To date, only a few studies have investigated the effect of passive immunization against Toxoplasma gondii, and the use of immune sera acquired from VLP-vaccinated mice for passive immunity assessment remains unreported. In this study, immune sera were produced by a single immunization with virus-like particles (VLPs) expressing the inner membrane complex (IMC), rhoptry protein 18 (ROP18), and microneme protein 8 (MIC8) of Toxoplasma gondii, with or without a CpG-ODN adjuvant. The passive immunization of immune sera conferred protection in mice, as indicated by their potent parasite-specific antibody response, lessened brain cyst counts, lower bodyweight loss, and enhanced survival. In order to confirm that the immune sera of the VLP-immunized mice were truly protective, the antibody responses and other immunological parameters were measured in the VLP-immunized mice. We found that VLP immunization induced higher levels of parasite-specific IgG, IgG subclass, and IgM antibody responses in the sera and intestines than in the controls. Enhanced Th1 and Th2-associated cytokines in the spleen, diminished brain cyst counts, and lessened body weight loss were found following T. gondii ME49 challenge infection. These results suggest that passive immunization with the immune sera acquired from VLP-vaccinated mice can confer adequate protection against T. gondii infection.
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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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Evaluation of CpG-ODN-Adjuvanted Toxoplasma Gondii Virus-Like Particle Vaccine upon One, Two, and Three Immunizations. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12100989. [PMID: 33086673 PMCID: PMC7588908 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful vaccines against specific pathogens often require multiple immunizations and adjuvant usage. Yet, assessing the protective efficacy of different immunization regimens with adjuvanted Toxoplasma gondii vaccines remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the vaccine efficacy induced by CpG-ODN-adjuvanted T. gondii virus-like particles (VLPs) after challenge infection with T. gondii (ME49) in mice (BALB/c) upon one, two, and three immunizations. Immunization with adjuvanted T. gondii VLPs induced higher levels of T. gondii-specific IgG and/or IgA antibody responses, germinal center (GC) B cells, total B cells, and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells compared with unadjuvanted VLPs. Increasing the number of immunizations was strongly correlated with enhanced protective immunity against T. gondii in mice, with the highest protection being demonstrated in mice thrice-immunized with either adjuvanted T. gondii VLPs or VLPs alone. Notably, lesser bodyweight reductions and cerebral cyst counts were observed in mice receiving multiple immunizations with the adjuvanted VLPs, thereby confirming the effectiveness of adjuvanted boost immunizations. These results demonstrated that multiple immunizations with T. gondii VLPs is an effective approach, and the CpG-ODN can be developed as an effective adjuvant for T. gondii VLP vaccines.
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Lee DH, Chu KB, Kang HJ, Lee SH, Chopra M, Choi HJ, Moon EK, Inn KS, Quan FS. Protection induced by malaria virus-like particles containing codon-optimized AMA-1 of Plasmodium berghei. Malar J 2019; 18:394. [PMID: 31796032 PMCID: PMC6888966 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3017-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the extensive endeavours, developing an effective malaria vaccine remains as a great challenge. Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) located on the merozoite surface of parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium is involved in red blood cell invasion. Methods Influenza virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines containing codon-optimized or native (non-codon optimized) AMA-1 from Plasmodium berghei were generated. VLP-induced protective immunity was evaluated in a mouse model. Results Mice immunized with VLP vaccine containing the codon-optimized AMA-1 elicited higher levels of P. berghei-specific IgG and IgG2a antibody responses compared to VLPs containing non-codon optimized AMA-1 before and after challenge infection. Codon-optimized AMA-1 VLP vaccination induced higher levels of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, and germinal centre cell responses compared to non-codon optimized AMA-1 VLPs. Importantly, the codon-optimized AMA-1 VLP vaccination showed lower body weight loss, longer survival and a significant decrease in parasitaemia compared to non-codon optimized VLP vaccination. Conclusion Overall, VLP vaccine expressing codon-optimized AMA-1 induced better protective efficacy than VLPs expressing the non-codon optimized AMA-1. Current findings highlight the importance of codon-optimization for vaccine use and its potential involvement in future malaria vaccine design strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ki-Back Chu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hae-Ji Kang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su-Hwa Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Manika Chopra
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Hyo-Jick Choi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Eun-Kyung Moon
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Soo Inn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, School of Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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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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Loh FK, Nathan S, Chow SC, Fang CM. Vaccination challenges and strategies against long-lived Toxoplasma gondii. Vaccine 2019; 37:3989-4000. [PMID: 31186188 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.05.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of Toxoplasma gondii in 1908, it is estimated that one-third of the global population has been exposed to this ubiquitous intracellular protozoan. The complex life cycle of T. gondii has enabled itself to overcome stress and transmit easily within a broad host range thus achieving a high seroprevalence worldwide. To date, toxoplasmosis remains one of the most prevalent HIV-associated opportunistic central nervous system infections. This review presents a comprehensive overview of different vaccination approaches ranging from traditional inactivated whole-T. gondii vaccines to the popular DNA vaccines. Extensive discussions are made to highlight the challenges in constructing these vaccines, selecting adjuvants as well as delivery methods, immunisation approaches and developing study models. Herein we also deliberate over the latest and promising enhancement strategies that can address the limitations in developing an effective T. gondii prophylactic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Kean Loh
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sheila Nathan
- School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sek-Chuen Chow
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chee-Mun Fang
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Lee DH, Chu KB, Kang HJ, Lee SH, Quan FS. Previous Infection with Plasmodium berghei Confers Resistance to Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2019; 57:93-99. [PMID: 31104401 PMCID: PMC6526213 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.2.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Both Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are important apicomplexan parasites, which infect humans worldwide. Genetic analyses have revealed that 33% of amino acid sequences of inner membrane complex from the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei is similar to that of Toxoplasma gondii. Inner membrane complex is known to be involved in cell invasion and replication. In this study, we investigated the resistance against T. gondii (ME49) infection induced by previously infected P. berghei (ANKA) in mice. Levels of T. gondii-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibody responses, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations were found higher in the mice infected with P. berghei (ANKA) and challenged with T. gondii (ME49) compared to that in control mice infected with T. gondii alone (ME49). P. berghei (ANKA) + T. gondii (ME49) group showed significantly reduced the number and size of T. gondii (ME49) cysts in the brains of mice, resulting in lower body weight loss compared to ME49 control group. These results indicate that previous exposure to P. berghei (ANKA) induce resistance to subsequent T. gondii (ME49) infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hun Lee
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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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Lee SH, Kang HJ, Lee DH, Quan FS. Protective Immunity Induced by Incorporating Multiple Antigenic Proteins of Toxoplasma gondii Into Influenza Virus-Like Particles. Front Immunol 2019; 9:3073. [PMID: 30666253 PMCID: PMC6330307 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particle (VLP) as a highly efficient vaccine platform has been used to present single or multiple antigenic proteins. In this study, we generated VLPs (multi-antigen VLPs, TG146) in insect cells co-infected with recombinant baculoviruses presenting IMC, ROP18, and MIC8 of Toxoplasma gondii together with influenza matrix protein 1 (M1) as a core protein. We also generated three VLPs expressing IMC, ROP18, or MIC8 together with M1 for combination VLPs (TG1/TG4/TG6). A total of four kinds of VLPs generated were characterized by TEM. Higher number of VLPs particles per μm2 were observed in multi-antigen VLPs compared to combination VLPs. Mice (BALB/c) were intranasually immunized with multi-antigen VLPs or combination VLPs and challenged with T. gondii tachyzoites (GT1) intraperitoneally. Compared to combination VLPs, multi-antigen VLPs showed significantly higher levels of CD4+ T cell, and germinal center B cell responses with reduced apoptosis responses, resulting in significant reduction on parasite burden. These results indicate that higher efficacy of VLPs generated by multi-antigen VLPs can induce significant reduction of parasite burden and better survival of mice than that by combination VLPs, providing important insights into vaccine design strategy for VLPs vaccine expressing multiple antigenic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Hwa Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hae-Ji Kang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dong-Hun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Systematic review and meta-analysis of variation in Toxoplasma gondii cyst burden in the murine model. Exp Parasitol 2018; 196:55-62. [PMID: 30562481 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects approximately 30% of the population of the United States, with worldwide distribution. The chronic (latent) infection, mediated by the bradyzoite parasite life stage, has attracted attention due to possible links to host behavioral alteration and psychomotor effects. Mice are a common model organism for studying the chronic stage, as they are natural hosts of infection. Notably, published studies demonstrate vast ranges of measured cyst burden within the murine brain tissue. The inconsistency of measured cyst burden within and between experiments makes interpretation of statistical significance difficult, potentially confounding studies of experimental anti-parasitic approaches. This review analyzes variation in measured cyst burden in a wide array of experimental mouse infections across published literature. Factors such as parasite infection strain, mouse strain, mode of infection, and infectious dose were all examined. The lowest variation in measured cyst burden occurred with the commonly available Balb/c and CBA mice undergoing infection by the ME49 strain of T. gondii. A summary of cyst variation and average cyst counts in T. gondii mouse models is presented, which may be useful for designing future experiments.
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Lee SH, Kang HJ, Lee DH, Kang SM, Quan FS. Virus-like particle vaccines expressing Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein 18 and microneme protein 8 provide enhanced protection. Vaccine 2018; 36:5692-5700. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Lee SH, Lee DH, Piao Y, Moon EK, Quan FS. Influenza M1 Virus-Like Particles Consisting of Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Protein 4. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2017; 55:143-148. [PMID: 28506036 PMCID: PMC5450957 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2017.55.2.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections occur throughout the world, and efforts are needed to develop various vaccine candidates expressing recombinant protein antigens. In this study, influenza matrix protein (M1) virus-like particles (VLPs) consisting of T. gondii rhoptry antigen 4 (ROP4 protein) were generated using baculovirus (rBV) expression system. Recombinant ROP4 protein with influenza M1 were cloned and expressed in rBV. SF9 insect cells were coinfected with recombinant rBVs expressing T. gondii ROP4 and influenza M1. As the results, influenza M1 VLPs showed spherical shapes, and T. gondii ROP4 protein exhibited as spikes on VLP surface under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The M1 VLPs resemble virions in morphology and size. We found that M1 VLPs reacted with antibody from T. gondii-infected mice by western blot and ELISA. This study demonstrated that T. gondii ROP4 protein can be expressed on the surface of influenza M1 VLPs and the M1 VLPs containing T. gondii ROP4 reacted with T. gondii-infected sera, indicating the possibility that M1 VLPs could be used as a coating antigen for diagnostic and/or vaccine candidate against T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Hwa Lee
- 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
| | - Ying Piao
- Department of Emergency, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji City, P. R. China
| | - Eun-Kyung Moon
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Fu-Shi Quan
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Korea
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