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Gül C, Gül A, Karakavuk T, Erkunt Alak S, Karakavuk M, Can H, Değirmenci Döşkaya A, Yavuz İ, Kaplan S, Erel Akbaba G, Şen Karaman D, Akbaba H, Efe Köseoğlu A, Ovayurt T, Yüksel Gürüz A, Ün C, Kantarcı AG, Döşkaya M. A novel DNA vaccine encoding the SRS13 protein administered by electroporation confers protection against chronic toxoplasmosis. Vaccine 2024; 42:126065. [PMID: 38880692 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.06.032] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that can infect a variety of mammals including humans and causes toxoplasmosis. Unfortunately, a protective and safe vaccine against toxoplasmosis hasn't been developed yet. In this study, we developed a DNA vaccine encoding the SRS13 protein and immunized BALB/c mice thrice with pVAX1-SRS13 through the intramuscular route (IM) or intradermally using an electroporation device (ID + EP). The immunogenicity of pVAX1-SRS13 was analyzed by ELISA, Western blot, cytokine ELISA, and flow cytometry. The protective efficacy of the pVAX1-SRS13 was investigated by challenging mice orally with T. gondii PRU strain tissue cysts. The results revealed that pVAX1-SRS13 administered through IM or ID + EP routes induced high level of anti-SRS13 IgG antibody responses (P = 0.0037 and P < 0.0001). The IFN-γ level elicited by the pVAX1-SRS13 (ID + EP) was significantly higher compared to the control group (P = 0.00159). In mice administered with pVAX1-SRS13 (ID + EP), CD8+ cells secreting IFN-γ was significantly higher compared to pVAX1-SRS13 (IM) (P = 0.0035) and the control group (P = 0.0068). Mice vaccinated with the SRS13 DNA vaccine did not induce significant IL-4 level. Moreover, a significant reduction in the number of tissue cysts and the load of T. gondii DNA was detected in brains of mice administered with pVAX1-SRS13 through ID + EP and IM routes compared to controls. In conclusion, the SRS13 DNA vaccine was found to be highly immunogenic and confers strong protection against chronic toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Gül
- Ege University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Aytül Gül
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Tuğba Karakavuk
- Ege University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Sedef Erkunt Alak
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology Molecular Biology Section, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Muhammet Karakavuk
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Ödemiş Vocational School, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Hüseyin Can
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology Molecular Biology Section, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Aysu Değirmenci Döşkaya
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - İrem Yavuz
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Seren Kaplan
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Gülşah Erel Akbaba
- İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Didem Şen Karaman
- İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Biomedical Engineering, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Hasan Akbaba
- Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Efe Köseoğlu
- Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology Molecular Biology Section, İzmir, Türkiye; Duisburg-Essen University, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Essen, Germany
| | - Tolga Ovayurt
- İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biomedical Technology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Adnan Yüksel Gürüz
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Cemal Ün
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology Molecular Biology Section, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Ayşe Gülten Kantarcı
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Mert Döşkaya
- Ege University, Vaccine Development Application and Research Center, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Vaccine Studies, İzmir, Türkiye; Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, İzmir, Türkiye
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