Antiparasitic DNA vaccines in 21st century

Current status and future prospects of Echinococcus multilocularis vaccine candidates: A systematic review

The larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) are what cause the zoonotic disease known as alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Identifying the antigens that trigger immune responses during infection is extremely important for the development of vaccines against Echinococcus infections. Several studies conducted in recent decades have described the specific traits of the protective antigens found in E. multilocularis and their role in immunizing different animal hosts. The objective of the current systematic review was to summarize the findings of relevant literature on this topic and unravel the most effective vaccine candidate antigens for future research. A comprehensive search was conducted across five databases, including ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, until March 1, 2023. Two reviewers autonomously conducted the screening and evaluation of data extraction and quality assessment. In the present study, a total of 41 papers matched the criteria for inclusion. The study findings indicate that the combination of Em14-3-3 and BCG is widely considered the most often employed antigens for E. multilocularis immunization. In addition, the study describes antigen delivery, measurement of immune responses, adjuvants, animal models, as well as routes and doses of vaccination. The research indicated that recombinant vaccines containing EMY162, EM95, and EmII/3-Em14-3-3 antigens and crude or purified antigens containing ribotan-formulated excretory/secretory antigens exhibited the most favorable outcomes and elicited protective immune responses.

The Immunization of Protoscolices P29 DNA Vaccine on Experimental Cystic Echinococosis in Balb/c Mice

PURPOSE

Cystic Echinococosis is one of the important parasitic diseases that is considered as a problem economics and health in many parts of the world. Many efforts have been performed for controlling the disease in the world. To reach a reliable vaccine against Cystic Echinococosis is one of the important duty of governments. Several antigen of hydatid cyst for vaccine candidate have been evaluated. In this study, P-29 antigen has been used for this purpose.

METHODS

E.g P29 antigen was cloned in Escherichia coli and transfected into the Chinese hamster ovary cell for antigen proliferation and used for vaccination in Balb/c mice. The recombinant antigen E.g-29 was shown using Western blot test. Two dilution of DNA vaccine (pCEgP-29) including 50 µg/100 µl and 100 µg/100 µl were prepared. Twenty four Balb/C male 6-8 week mouse were divided in 4 groups. The groups were included in 2 vaccination groups (pcEg.P29 50 µg/100 µl and 100 µg/100 µl dilution) as immunized groups and 2 groups of plasmid and PBS as control. The mice were injected intramuscularly 3 times with 2 weeks interval. After 3 weeks from last injection, all groups were challenged intraperitonealy with 2000 protoscolices. After 5 months, the mice were euthanized by ketamine/xylasine injection and number, size, and weight of cysts were recorded.

RESULTS

Immunization rate was up to 93% in vaccinated group when compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that rEg.P29 could be considered as an effective vaccine for controlling of E. granulosus prevalence in intermediated host.

HIV-1 Accessory Proteins: Which one is Potentially Effective in Diagnosis and Vaccine Development?

BACKGROUND

The combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) could increase the number of circulating naive CD4 T lymphocytes, but was not able to eradicate human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection.

OBJECTIVE

Thus, induction of strong immune responses is important for control of HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, a simple and perfect serological method is required to detect virus in untreated-, treated- and drug resistant- HIV-1 infected individuals.

METHODS

This study was conducted to assess and compare immunogenic properties of Nef, Vif, Vpr and Vpu accessory proteins as an antigen candidate in mice and their diagnostic importance in human as a biomarker.

RESULTS

Our data showed that in mice, all heterologous prime/ boost regimens were more potent than homologous prime/ boost regimens in eliciting Th1 response and Granzyme B secretion as CTL activity. Moreover, the Nef, Vpu and Vif proteins could significantly increase Th1 immune response. In contrast, the Vpr protein could considerably induce Th2 immune response. On the other hand, among four accessory proteins, HIV-1 Vpu could significantly detect treated group from untreated group as a possible biomarker in human.

CONCLUSION

Generally, among accessory proteins, Nef, Vpu and Vif antigens were potentially more suitable vaccine antigen candidates than Vpr antigen. Human antibodies against all these proteins were higher in HIV-1 different groups than healthy group. Among them, Vpu was known as a potent antigen in diagnosis of treated from untreated individuals. The potency of accessory proteins as an antigen candidate in an animal model and a human cohort study are underway.

Current situation and future prospects of Echinococcus granulosus vaccine candidates: A systematic review

Cystic echinococcosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease, represents a threat for livestock and humans, manifests as a quiescent, subclinical and chronic hydatid cyst infection. The disease imposes high expenditures and economic losses in medical and veterinary. Prophylactic vaccination would be one of the effective preventive health care against echinococcosis. During the last decades, many studies have characterized the protective antigens of Echinococcus granulosus and their role in immunization of various animal host species. Herein, we aimed to systematically evaluate and represent the best antigens as possible vaccine candidates for cystic echinococcosis. Data were systematically searched from five databases including ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science, up to 1 February 2020. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed data extraction and quality assessment. A total of 47 articles were eligible for inclusion criteria in the current study. The most common antigens used for vaccination against E. granulosus were EG95 and antigen B. Freund's adjuvant and Quil A have been predominantly utilized. In addition, regarding the antigen delivery, animal models, measurement of immune responses and reduction in hydatid cyst have been discussed in the text. The data demonstrated that DNA vaccines with antigen B and recombinant protein vaccines based on EG95 antigen have the best results and elicited protective immune responses.

Metazoan Parasite Vaccines: Present Status and Future Prospects

Eukaryotic parasites and pathogens continue to cause some of the most detrimental and difficult to treat diseases (or disease states) in both humans and animals, while also continuously expanding into non-endemic countries. Combined with the ever growing number of reports on drug-resistance and the lack of effective treatment programs for many metazoan diseases, the impact that these organisms will have on quality of life remain a global challenge. Vaccination as an effective prophylactic treatment has been demonstrated for well over 200 years for bacterial and viral diseases. From the earliest variolation procedures to the cutting edge technologies employed today, many protective preparations have been successfully developed for use in both medical and veterinary applications. In spite of the successes of these applications in the discovery of subunit vaccines against prokaryotic pathogens, not many targets have been successfully developed into vaccines directed against metazoan parasites. With the current increase in -omics technologies and metadata for eukaryotic parasites, target discovery for vaccine development can be expedited. However, a good understanding of the host/vector/pathogen interface is needed to understand the underlying biological, biochemical and immunological components that will confer a protective response in the host animal. Therefore, systems biology is rapidly coming of age in the pursuit of effective parasite vaccines. Despite the difficulties, a number of approaches have been developed and applied to parasitic helminths and arthropods. This review will focus on key aspects of vaccine development that require attention in the battle against these metazoan parasites, as well as successes in the field of vaccine development for helminthiases and ectoparasites. Lastly, we propose future direction of applying successes in pursuit of next generation vaccines.

Dendritic Cell Targeting Effectively Boosts T Cell Responses Elicited by an HIV Multiepitope DNA Vaccine

Despite several efforts in the last decades, an efficacious HIV-1 vaccine is still not available. Different approaches have been evaluated, such as recombinant proteins, viral vectors, DNA vaccines, and, most recently, dendritic cell (DC) targeting. This strategy is based on DC features that place them as central for induction of immunity. Targeting is accomplished by the use of chimeric monoclonal antibodies directed to DC surface receptors fused to the antigen of interest. In this work, we targeted eight promiscuous HIV-derived CD4⁺ T cell epitopes (HIVBr8) to the DEC205⁺ DCs by fusing the multiepitope immunogen to the heavy chain of αDEC205 (αDECHIVBr8), in the presence of the TLR3 agonist poly (I:C). In addition, we tested a DNA vaccine encoding the same epitopes using homologous or heterologous prime-boost regimens. Our results showed that mice immunized with αDECHIVBr8 presented higher CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses when compared to mice that received the DNA vaccine (pVAXHIVBr8). In addition, pVAXHIVBr8 priming followed by αDECHIVBr8 boosting induced higher polyfunctional proliferative and cytokine-producing T cell responses to HIV-1 peptides than homologous DNA immunization or heterologous αDEC prime/DNA boost. Based on these results, we conclude that homologous prime-boost and heterologous boosting immunization strategies targeting CD4⁺ epitopes to DCs are effective to improve HIV-specific cellular immune responses when compared to standalone DNA immunization. Moreover, our results indicate that antigen targeting to DC is an efficient strategy to boost immunity against a multiepitope immunogen, especially in the context of DNA vaccination.

Modulation of the Immune Response to DNA Vaccine Encoding Gene of 8-kDa Subunit of Echinococcus granulosus Antigen B Using Murine Interleukin-12 Plasmid in BALB/c Mice

BACKGROUND

The current study was designed to evaluate immune responses induced by DNA vaccines encoding 8-kDa subunit of antigen B (HydI) of Echinococcus granulosus and murine interleukin 12 (IL-12) as genetic adjuvants in BALB/c mice.

METHODS

Expression plasmid pcDNA3.1 containing HydI (pcHyd1) as vaccine along with the murine interleukin 12 (pcMIL12) as adjuvant were used. Thirty-five mice in the five experimental groups received PBS, empty pcDNA3.1, pcHydІ, pcMIL-12, and pcHydІ+ pcMIL-12 in days zero, 14th and 28th. Two weeks after the last immunization, evaluation of the immune response was performed by evaluating the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes, IFN-γ and IL-4, determination of IgG isotyping titer.

RESULTS

Mice that received the pcHydI+pcMIL12 exhibited higher levels of lymphocyte proliferation compared to mice that received the pcHydI alone (P<0.001), and produced significantly more IFN-γ in comparison to other groups (P< 0.001). In addition, they produced significantly less IL-4 than mice receiving the PBS and the empty plasmid (P<0.023). The IgG2a levels were clearly higher in pcHydI+pcMIL12 group in comparison with the groups of pcHydI alone, empty plasmid, and PBS. In contrast, IgG1 was elevated in the group of pcHydI.

CONCLUSION

Co-delivery of IL-12 with DNA encoding 8-kDa subunit of antigen B was effective significantly in inducing the immune response in mice.

Chimeric DNA vaccines encoding Eimeria acervulina macrophage migration inhibitory factor (E.MIF) induce partial protection against experimental Eimeria infection

Chimeric DNA vaccines co-expressing Eimeria acervulina macrophage migration inhibitory factor (E.MIF) and chicken IL-2 (IL-2) or interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were constructed and their efficacies against E. acervulina were evaluated. The open reading frame (ORF) of E.MIF was cloned from E. acervulina merozoites and subcloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1 with chicken cytokine gene IFN-γ or IL-2 to construct the DNA vaccines pVAX-E.MIF-IFN-γ, pVAX-E.MIF-IL-2 and pVAX-E.MIF. The in vivo transfection of the target genes was detected by use of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. Immunizations were carried out by vaccinating chickens twice with a dose rate of 100 μg intramuscularly. Seven days post second immunization, all chickens except the unchallenged control group were challenged orally with 1 × 105 sporulated oocysts of E. acervulina. Seven days later, the duodenum was collected. The results showed that the target genes were expressed effectively in vivo. DNA vaccines and the recombinant E.MIF protein could alleviate body weight loss and duodenal lesions significantly compared to the control groups. Furthermore, pVAX-E.MIF-IL-2 and pVAX-E.MIF-IFN-γ induced anticoccidial indexs (ACIs) of 179.12 and 170, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of pVAX-E.MIF (ACI = 162.31). Our results demonstrated that E.MIF is a potential vaccine candidate against E. acervulina and chicken IFN-γ or IL- 2 may be used as genetic adjuvants to improve the efficacies of DNA vaccines against avian coccidiosis.