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Imhof D, Pownall WR, Monney C, Oevermann A, Hemphill A. A Listeria monocytogenes-Based Vaccine Formulation Reduces Vertical Transmission and Leads to Enhanced Pup Survival in a Pregnant Neosporosis Mouse Model. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9121400. [PMID: 34960146 PMCID: PMC8706174 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9121400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum is the worldwide leading cause of abortion and stillbirth in cattle. An attenuated mutant Listeria monocytogenes strain (Lm3Dx) was engineered by deleting the virulence genes actA, inlA, and inlB in order to avoid systemic infection and to target the vector to antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Insertion of sag1, coding for the major surface protein NcSAG1 of N. caninum, yielded the vaccine strain Lm3Dx_NcSAG1. The efficacy of Lm3Dx_NcSAG1 was assessed by inoculating 1 × 105, 1 × 106, or 1 × 107 CFU of Lm3Dx_NcSAG1 into female BALB/c mice by intramuscular injection three times at two-week intervals, and subsequent challenge with 1 × 105N. caninum tachyzoites of the highly virulent NcSpain-7 strain on day 7 of pregnancy. Dose-dependent protective effects were seen, with a postnatal offspring survival rate of 67% in the group treated with 1 × 107 CFU of Lm3Dx_NcSAG1 compared to 5% survival in the non-vaccinated control group. At euthanasia (25 days post-partum), IgG antibody titers were significantly decreased in the groups receiving the two higher doses and cytokines recall responses in splenocyte culture supernatants (IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10) were increased in the vaccinated groups. Thus, Lm3Dx_NcSAG1 induces immune-protective effects associated with a balanced Th1/Th2 response in a pregnant neosporosis mouse model and should be further assessed in ruminant models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Imhof
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - William Robert Pownall
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Department of Surgery, Small Animal Clinic, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Camille Monney
- Division of Neurological Sciences, DCR-VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109A, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (C.M.); (A.O.)
| | - Anna Oevermann
- Division of Neurological Sciences, DCR-VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109A, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (C.M.); (A.O.)
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Correspondence:
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Amini L, Namavari M, Khodakaram-Tafti A, Divar MR, Hosseini SMH. The evaluation of attenuated Neospora caninum by long-term passages on murine macrophage cell line in prevention of vertical transmission in mice. Vet Parasitol 2020; 283:109171. [PMID: 32623187 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
To date, there is no effective vaccine to prevent abortion or vertical transmission associated with neosporosis in cattle. In the present study, the efficacy of a live experimental vaccine of Neospora caninum attenuated (NCa) by long-term serial passages on a murine macrophage cell line was evaluated in the prevention of vertical transmission and abortion in the mouse model. Forty non-pregnant mice were randomly divided into four equal groups including non-immunized/challenged (injected with PBS); positive control (inoculated with un-attenuated NC-1 tachyzoites); immunized/challenged (inoculated with NCa attenuated strain) and immunized/non-challenged or vaccinated (inoculated with NCa) groups. Following pregnancy synchronization, both the immunized and control mice were challenged with virulent live NC-1 tachyzoites (2.5 × 106) in the mid-pregnancy stage. The number of abortions and post-natal pup mortalities was recorded. Serological, molecular, and histopathologic examinations were employed to evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine and the vertical transmission rates. Results indicated that the live attenuated N. caninum strain (NCa) could significantly reduce the risk of abnormal parturitions and fetal mortality in the vaccinated group (20 %) compared to the non-immunized/challenged group (80 %). Also, the NCa strain reduced the lesion score in the brain of the offspring (0.3 vs 1.9) compared to the non-immunized/challenged group (P < 0.05). The molecular assay showed a decrease in the parasite DNA detection rates from 83 % and 77 % in the non-immunized/challenged group to 27 % and 0 % in the vaccine group in the brain and liver tissues, respectively. While in the immunized/non-challenged group no parasite DNA was detected in the brain tissue samples of the pups. Serological analyses showed that NCa strain was able to stimulate the humoral immunity and create effective protection against neosporosis with a moderate systemic IFN-γ response. In conclusion, the NCa strain could significantly (P < 0.05) reduce the risk of vertical transmission and proved to be a safe vaccine while conferring significant levels of protection in the laboratory mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laleh Amini
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Namavari
- Shiraz Branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran.
| | | | - Mohammad Reza Divar
- Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Hossein Hosseini
- Shiraz Branch, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran
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Bengoa-Luoni SA, Corigliano MG, Sánchez-López E, Albarracín RM, Legarralde A, Ganuza A, Clemente M, Sander VA. The potential of a DIVA-like recombinant vaccine composed by rNcSAG1 and rAtHsp81.2 against vertical transmission in a mouse model of congenital neosporosis. Acta Trop 2019; 198:105094. [PMID: 31323195 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is the etiological agent of neosporosis, a worldwide infectious disease recognized as the major cause of abortions and reproductive failures in livestock, responsible for significant economic losses in cattle industries. Currently, there are not cost-effective control options for this pathology, and the development of a vaccine involving new and integrated approaches is highly recommended. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenic and protective efficacy, as well as the potential DIVA (Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals) character of a recombinant subunit vaccine composed by the major surface antigen from N. caninum (NcSAG1) and the carrier/adjuvant heat shock protein 81.2 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtHsp81.2) in a mouse model of congenital neosporosis. BALB/c female mice were intraperitoneal (i.p.) immunized with a mixture of equimolar quantities of rNcSAG1 and rAtHSP81.2 or each protein alone (rNcSAG1 or rAtHsp81.2). The vaccine containing a mixture of rNcSAG1 and rAtHsp81.2 significantly enhanced the production of specific anti-rNcSAG1 total IgG (tIgG), IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies in immunized mice when compared to control groups (non-vaccinated and rAtHsp81.2 immunized mice) as well as to the group of mice immunized only with the antigen (rNcSAG1). In addition, partial protection against vertical transmission and improvement of the offspring survival time was observed in this group. On the other hand, rAtHsp81.2 induced the production of specific anti-rAtHsp81.2 tIgG, allowing us to differentiate vaccinated from infected mice. Despite further experiments have to be made in cattle to test the capability of this vaccine formulation to differentiate vaccinated from infected animals in the field, our results suggest that the formulation composed by rNcSAG1 and rAtHsp81.2 could serve as a basis for the development of a new vaccine approach against bovine neosporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ariel Legarralde
- Unidad de Biotecnología 6-UB6, INTECH, CONICET-UNSAM, Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Agustina Ganuza
- Unidad de Biotecnología 2-UB2, INTECH, CONICET-UNSAM, Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC) de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Marina Clemente
- Unidad de Biotecnología 6-UB6, INTECH, CONICET-UNSAM, Chascomús, Argentina.
| | - Valeria A Sander
- Unidad de Biotecnología 6-UB6, INTECH, CONICET-UNSAM, Chascomús, Argentina.
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Aguado-Martínez A, Basto AP, Leitão A, Hemphill A. Neospora caninum in non-pregnant and pregnant mouse models: cross-talk between infection and immunity. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:723-735. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Horcajo P, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Aguado-Martínez A, Hemphill A, Ortega-Mora LM. Vaccines for bovine neosporosis: current status and key aspects for development. Parasite Immunol 2016; 38:709-723. [DOI: 10.1111/pim.12342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. Horcajo
- SALUVET; Animal Health Department; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences; Complutense University of Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - J. Regidor-Cerrillo
- SALUVET; Animal Health Department; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences; Complutense University of Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - A. Aguado-Martínez
- Institute of Parasitology; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - A. Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - L. M. Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET; Animal Health Department; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences; Complutense University of Madrid; Madrid Spain
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N-terminal fusion of a toll-like receptor 2-ligand to a Neospora caninum chimeric antigen efficiently modifies the properties of the specific immune response. Parasitology 2016; 143:606-16. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016000056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYImmunoprophylactic products against neosporosis during pregnancy should induce an appropriately balanced immune response. In this respect, OprI, a bacterial lipoprotein targeting toll like receptor (TLR)2, provides promising adjuvant properties. We report on the manipulation of the innate and the T-cell immune response through the fusion of OprI with the Neospora caninum chimeric protein Mic3-1-R. In contrast to Mic3-1-R, OprI-MIC3-1-R significantly activated bone-marrow dendritic cells from naïve mice. Mice immunized with OprI-Mic3-1-R induced an immune response with mixed T helper (Th)1 and Th2 properties (high levels of both immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 and IgG2a and of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12(p70) and interferon-γ responses) whereas Mic3-1-R+saponin induced a clear Th2-biased response (low IgG2a and high IL-4 and IL-10). After mating and challenge with N. caninum, increased expression of interferon-γ was only found in placentas from OprI-Mic3-1-R immunized dams. However, no protection against vertical transmission and neonatal mortality was observed in either of the two groups. These results indicated that more exhaustive studies must be done to elucidate the immune mechanisms associated with transplacental transmission. Antigen linkage to TLR2-ligands, such as OprI, is a useful tool to investigate this enigma by reorienting the innate and adaptive immune responses against other candidate antigens in future studies.
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Arranz-Solís D, Aguado-Martínez A, Müller J, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Ortega-Mora LM, Hemphill A. Dose-dependent effects of experimental infection with the virulent Neospora caninum Nc-Spain7 isolate in a pregnant mouse model. Vet Parasitol 2015; 211:133-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Faucette AN, Unger BL, Gonik B, Chen K. Maternal vaccination: moving the science forward. Hum Reprod Update 2014; 21:119-35. [PMID: 25015234 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmu041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infections remain one of the leading causes of morbidity in pregnant women and newborns, with vaccine-preventable infections contributing significantly to the burden of disease. In the past decade, maternal vaccination has emerged as a promising public health strategy to prevent and combat maternal, fetal and neonatal infections. Despite a number of universally recommended maternal vaccines, the development and evaluation of safe and effective maternal vaccines and their wide acceptance are hampered by the lack of thorough understanding of the efficacy and safety in the pregnant women and the offspring. METHODS An outline was synthesized based on the current status and major gaps in the knowledge of maternal vaccination. A systematic literature search in PUBMED was undertaken using the key words in each section title of the outline to retrieve articles relevant to pregnancy. Articles cited were selected based on relevance and quality. On the basis of the reviewed information, a perspective on the future directions of maternal vaccination research was formulated. RESULTS Maternal vaccination can generate active immune protection in the mother and elicit systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mucosal IgG, IgA and IgM responses to confer neonatal protection. The maternal immune system undergoes significant modulation during pregnancy, which influences responsiveness to vaccines. Significant gaps exist in our knowledge of the efficacy and safety of maternal vaccines, and no maternal vaccines against a large number of old and emerging pathogens are available. Public acceptance of maternal vaccination has been low. CONCLUSIONS To tackle the scientific challenges of maternal vaccination and to provide the public with informed vaccination choices, scientists and clinicians in different disciplines must work closely and have a mechanistic understanding of the systemic, reproductive and mammary mucosal immune responses to vaccines. The use of animal models should be coupled with human studies in an iterative manner for maternal vaccine experimentation, evaluation and optimization. Systems biology approaches should be adopted to improve the speed, accuracy and safety of maternal vaccine targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azure N Faucette
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Benjamin L Unger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Bernard Gonik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Kang Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA Mucosal Immunology Studies Team, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Monney T, Hemphill A. Vaccines against neosporosis: what can we learn from the past studies? Exp Parasitol 2014; 140:52-70. [PMID: 24602874 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2014.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an intracellular apicomplexan parasite, which is a leading cause of abortion in cattle; thus neosporosis represents an important veterinary health problem and is of high economic significance. The parasite can infect cattle via trans-placental transmission from an infected cow to its fetus (vertical transmission), or through the oral route via ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts that were previously shed with the feces of a canid definitive host (horizontal transmission). Although vaccination was considered a rational strategy to prevent bovine neosporosis, the only commercialized vaccine (Neoguard®) produced ambiguous results with relatively low efficacy, and was recently removed from the market. Therefore, there is a need to develop an efficient vaccine capable of preventing both, the horizontal transmission through infected food or water to a naïve animal as well as the vertical transmission from infected but clinically asymptomatic dams to the fetus. Different vaccine strategies have been investigated, including the use of live attenuated vaccines, killed parasite lysates, total antigens or antigen fractions from killed parasites, and subunit vaccines. The vast majority of experimental studies were performed in mice, and to a certain extent in gerbils, but there is also a large number of investigations that were conducted in cattle and sheep. However, it is difficult to directly compare these studies due to the high variability of the parameters employed. In this review, we will summarize the recent advances made in vaccine development against N. caninum in cattle and in mice and highlight the most important factors, which are likely to influence the degree of protection mediated by vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Monney
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
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Monney T, Grandgirard D, Leib SL, Hemphill A. Use of a Th1 Stimulator Adjuvant for Vaccination against Neospora caninum Infection in the Pregnant Mouse Model. Pathogens 2013; 2:193-208. [PMID: 25437035 PMCID: PMC4235717 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens2020193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Revised: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertical transmission from an infected cow to its fetus accounts for the vast majority of new Neospora caninum infections in cattle. A vaccine composed of a chimeric antigen named recNcMIC3-1-R, based on predicted immunogenic domains of the two microneme proteins NcMIC1 and NcMIC3, the rhoptry protein NcROP2, and emulsified in saponin adjuvants, significantly reduced the cerebral infection in non-pregnant BALB/c mice. Protection was associated with a mixed Th1/Th2-type cytokine response. However, the same vaccine formulation elicited a Th2-type immune response in pregnant mice and did not prevent vertical transmission or disease, neither in dams nor in offspring mice. In this study, an alternative vaccine formulation containing recNcMIC3-1-R emulsified in Freund’s incomplete adjuvant, a stimulator of the cellular immunity, was investigated. No protection against vertical transmission and cerebral infection in the pregnant mice and a very limited protective effect in the non-pregnant mice were observed. The vaccine induced a Th1-type immune response characterized by high IgG2a titres and strong IFN-γ expression, which appeared detrimental to pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Monney
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
| | - Denis Grandgirard
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Berne, Friedbühlstrasse 51, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland.
| | - Stephen L Leib
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Berne, Friedbühlstrasse 51, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland.
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
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