Korean J Parasitol.  2017 Oct;55(5):505-512. 10.3347/kjp.2017.55.5.505.

DNA Vaccines Encoding Toxoplasma gondii Cathepsin C 1 Induce Protection against Toxoplasmosis in Mice

• Han Y
• Zhou A
• Lu G
• Zhao G
• Sha W
• Wang L
• Guo J
• Zhou J
• Zhou H
• Cong H
• He S

• KMID: 2395754
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2017.55.5.505

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii cathepsin C proteases (TgCPC1, 2, and 3) are important for the growth and survival of T. gondii. In the present study, B-cell and T-cell epitopes of TgCPC1 were predicted using DNAstar and the Immune Epitope Database. A TgCPC1 DNA vaccine was constructed, and its ability to induce protective immune responses against toxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice was evaluated in the presence or absence of the adjuvant α-GalCer. As results, TgCPC1 DNA vaccine with or without adjuvant α-GalCer showed higher levels of IgG and IgG2a in the serum, as well as IL-2 and IFN-γ in the spleen compared to controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and α-Galcer). Upon challenge infection with tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH), pCPC1/α-Galcer immunized mice showed the longest survival among all the groups. Mice vaccinated with DNA vaccine without adjuvant (pCPC1) showed better protective immunity compared to other controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and α-Galcer). These results indicate that a DNA vaccine encoding TgCPC1 is a potential vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis.

Keyword

Toxoplasma gondii; DNA vaccine; CPC1; protective immunity; mouse

MeSH Terms

Animals
B-Lymphocytes
Cathepsin C*
Cathepsins*
DNA*
Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
Immunoglobulin G
Interleukin-2
Mice*
Peptide Hydrolases
Spleen
Toxoplasma*
Toxoplasmosis*
Vaccines, DNA*
Cathepsin C
Cathepsins
DNA
Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
Immunoglobulin G
Interleukin-2
Peptide Hydrolases
Vaccines, DNA