scholarly journals The Immunogenic and Immunoprotective Activities of Recombinant Chimeric T. gondii Proteins Containing AMA1 Antigen Fragments

Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Justyna Gatkowska ◽  
Katarzyna Dzitko ◽  
Bartłomiej Tomasz Ferra ◽  
Lucyna Holec-Gąsior ◽  
Malwina Kawka ◽  
...  

Toxoplasmosis, one of the most common parasitoses worldwide, is potentially dangerous for individuals with a weakened immune system, but specific immunoprophylaxis intended for humans is still lacking. Thus, efforts have been made to create an efficient universal vaccine for both animals and humans to overcome the shortcomings of currently used treatment methods and protect all hosts against toxoplasmosis. The current work represents a relatively new approach to vaccine development based on recombinant chimeric Toxoplasma gondii antigens. In the present research, three tetravalent chimeric proteins containing different portions of the parasite’s AMA1 antigen—AMA1domainI-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ANSGR), AMA1domainsII,III-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ACSGR) and AMA1fullprotein-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (AFSGR)—were tested for their immunogenic and immunoprotective capacities. All tested proteins were immunogenic, as evidenced by the triggering of specific humoral and cellular immune responses in vaccinated C3H/HeOuJ mice, defined by the production of specific IgG (IgG1/IgG2a) antibodies in vivo and synthesis of key Th1/Th2 cytokines by Toxoplasma lysate antigen-stimulated splenocytes in vitro. Although all tested preparations provided partial protection against chronic toxoplasmosis in immunized and T. gondii-challenged mice, the intensity of the generated immunoprotection depended on the fragment of the AMA1 antigen incorporated into the chimeric antigen’s structure.

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1408
Author(s):  
Qiao Li ◽  
Zhihua Liu ◽  
Yi Liu ◽  
Chen Liang ◽  
Jiayi Shu ◽  
...  

TFPR1 is a novel adjuvant for protein and peptide antigens, which has been demonstrated in BALB/c mice in our previous studies; however, its adjuvanticity in mice with different genetic backgrounds remains unknown, and its adjuvanticity needs to be improved to fit the requirements for various vaccines. In this study, we first compared the adjuvanticity of TFPR1 in two commonly used inbred mouse strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrated that TFPR1 activated TLR2 to exert its immune activity in vivo. Next, to prove the feasibility of TFPR1 acting as a major component of combined adjuvants, we prepared a combined adjuvant, TF–Al, by formulating TFPR1 and alum at a certain ratio and compared its adjuvanticity with that of TFPR1 and alum alone using OVA and recombinant HBsAg as model antigens in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Results showed that TFPR1 acts as an effective vaccine adjuvant in both BALB/c mice and C57BL/6 mice, and further demonstrated the role of TLR2 in the adjuvanticity of TFPR1 in vivo. In addition, we obtained a novel combined adjuvant, TF–Al, based on TFPR1, which can augment antibody and cellular immune responses in mice with different genetic backgrounds, suggesting its promise for vaccine development in the future.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 852
Author(s):  
Khalid A. Alluhaybi ◽  
Rahaf H. Alharbi ◽  
Rowa Y. Alhabbab ◽  
Najwa D. Aljehani ◽  
Sawsan S. Alamri ◽  
...  

The urgent need for effective, safe and equitably accessible vaccines to tackle the ongoing spread of COVID-19 led researchers to generate vaccine candidates targeting varieties of immunogens of SARS-CoV-2. Because of its crucial role in mediating binding and entry to host cell and its proven safety profile, the subunit 1 (S1) of the spike protein represents an attractive immunogen for vaccine development. Here, we developed and assessed the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine encoding the SARS-CoV-2 S1. Following in vitro confirmation and characterization, the humoral and cellular immune responses of our vaccine candidate (pVAX-S1) was evaluated in BALB/c mice using two different doses, 25 µg and 50 µg. Our data showed high levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with three doses of pVAX-S1. Analysis of the induced IgG subclasses showed a Th1-polarized immune response, as demonstrated by the significant elevation of spike-specific IgG2a and IgG2b, compared to IgG1. Furthermore, we found that the immunization of mice with three doses of 50 µg of pVAX-S1 could elicit significant memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Taken together, our data indicate that pVAX-S1 is immunogenic and safe in mice and is worthy of further preclinical and clinical evaluation.


Author(s):  
Khalid A. Alluhaybi ◽  
Rahaf H. Alharbi ◽  
Rowa Y. Alhabbab ◽  
Najwa D Aljehani ◽  
Sawsan S. Alamri ◽  
...  

The urgent need for effective, safe and equitably accessible vaccines to tackle the ongoing spread of COVID-19 led researchers to generate vaccine candidates targeting varieties of immunogens of SARS-CoV-2. Because of its crucial role in mediating binding and entry to host cell and its proven safety profile, the subunit 1 (S1) of the spike protein represents an attractive immunogen for vaccine development. Here, we developed and assessed the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine encoding the SARS-CoV-2 S1. Following in vitro confirmation and characterization, the humoral and cellular immune responses of our vaccine candidate (pVAX-S1) was evaluated in BALB/c mice using two different doses, 25 µg and 50 µg. Our data showed high levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with three doses of pVAX-S1. Analysis of the induced IgG subclasses showed a Th1-polarized immune response as demonstrated by the significant elevation of spike-specific IgG2a and IgG2b compared to IgG1. Furthermore, we found that immunization of mice with three doses of 50 µg of pVAX-S1 could elicit significant memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Taken together, our data indicates that pVAX-S1 is immunogenic and safe in mice and is worthy of further preclinical and clinical evaluation.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1597
Author(s):  
Thuong Thi Ho ◽  
Van Thi Pham ◽  
Tra Thi Nguyen ◽  
Vy Thai Trinh ◽  
Tram Vi ◽  
...  

Nanodiamond (ND) has recently emerged as a potential nanomaterial for nanovaccine development. Here, a plant-based haemagglutinin protein (H5.c2) of A/H5N1 virus was conjugated with detonation NDs (DND) of 3.7 nm in diameter (ND4), and high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) oxidative NDs of ~40–70 nm (ND40) and ~100–250 nm (ND100) in diameter. Our results revealed that the surface charge, but not the size of NDs, is crucial to the protein conjugation, as well as the in vitro and in vivo behaviors of H5.c2:ND conjugates. Positively charged ND4 does not effectively form stable conjugates with H5.c2, and has no impact on the immunogenicity of the protein both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, the negatively oxidized NDs (ND40 and ND100) are excellent protein antigen carriers. When compared to free H5.c2, H5.c2:ND40, and H5.c2:ND100 conjugates are highly immunogenic with hemagglutination titers that are both 16 times higher than that of the free H5.c2 protein. Notably, H5.c2:ND40 and H5.c2:ND100 conjugates induce over 3-folds stronger production of both H5.c2-specific-IgG and neutralizing antibodies against A/H5N1 than free H5.c2 in mice. These findings support the innovative strategy of using negatively oxidized ND particles as novel antigen carriers for vaccine development, while also highlighting the importance of particle characterization before use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 216 (7) ◽  
pp. 1615-1629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Naegeli ◽  
Eleni Bratanis ◽  
Christofer Karlsson ◽  
Oonagh Shannon ◽  
Raja Kalluru ◽  
...  

Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus; GAS) is a human pathogen causing diseases from uncomplicated tonsillitis to life-threatening invasive infections. GAS secretes EndoS, an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves the conserved N-glycan on IgG antibodies. In vitro, removal of this glycan impairs IgG effector functions, but its relevance to GAS infection in vivo is unclear. Using targeted mass spectrometry, we characterized the effects of EndoS on host IgG glycosylation during the course of infections in humans. Substantial IgG glycan hydrolysis occurred at the site of infection and systemically in the severe cases. We demonstrated decreased resistance to phagocytic killing of GAS lacking EndoS in vitro and decreased virulence in a mouse model of invasive infection. This is the first described example of specific bacterial IgG glycan hydrolysis during infection and thereby verifies the hypothesis that EndoS modifies antibodies in vivo. This mechanisms of immune evasion could have implications for treatment of severe GAS infections and for future efforts at vaccine development.


1968 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Paul ◽  
Gregory W. Siskind ◽  
Baruj Benacerraf

In vitro antigen stimulation of DNA synthesis in lymph node cultures from immunized guinea pigs can be obtained with very low (10–4 µg/ml) antigen concentrations in the culture fluid. Immunization with low doses of DNP-GPA leads to a cell population capable of being stimulated, on the average, by low concentration of antigen whereas immunization with large antigen doses results in a sensitive cell population requiring, on the average, high antigen concentrations for stimulation. These findings correlate well with the affinity for hapten of the serum antibodies produced by these guinea pigs. Both delayed reactions in vivo and DNA synthesis in vitro can be stimulated by hapten conjugated to proteins different from that used in primary immunization. However the immunizing conjugate is much more effective in terms of antigen concentration required for a given response. These results can be understood in terms of a thermodynamically driven interaction of antigen (or "processed" antigen) with cell-associated antibody.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shang-Jui Tsai ◽  
Chenxu Guo ◽  
Nadia A. Atai ◽  
Stephen J. Gould

AbstractBackgroundIn less than a year from its zoonotic entry into the human population, SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 45 million people, caused 1.2 million deaths, and induced widespread societal disruption. Leading SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates immunize with the viral spike protein delivered on viral vectors, encoded by injected mRNAs, or as purified protein. Here we describe a different approach to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development that uses exosomes to deliver mRNAs that encode antigens from multiple SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins.ApproachExosomes were purified and loaded with mRNAs designed to express (i) an artificial fusion protein, LSNME, that contains portions of the viral spike, nucleocapsid, membrane, and envelope proteins, and (ii) a functional form of spike. The resulting combinatorial vaccine, LSNME/SW1, was injected into thirteen weeks-old, male C57BL/6J mice, followed by interrogation of humoral and cellular immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike proteins, as well as hematological and histological analysis to interrogate animals for possible adverse effects.ResultsImmunized mice developed CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell reactivities that respond to both the SARS-CoV-2 nucelocapsid protein and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. These responses were apparent nearly two months after the conclusion of vaccination, as expected for a durable response to vaccination. In addition, the spike-reactive CD4+ T-cells response was associated with elevated expression of interferon gamma, indicative of a Th1 response, and a lesser induction of interleukin 4, a Th2-associated cytokine. Vaccinated mice showed no sign of altered growth, injection-site hypersensitivity, change in white blood cell profiles, or alterations in organ morphology. Consistent with these results, we also detected moderate but sustained anti-nucleocapsid and anti-spike antibodies in the plasma of vaccinated animals.ConclusionTaken together, these results validate the use of exosomes for delivering functional mRNAs into target cells in vitro and in vivo, and more specifically, establish that the LSNME/SW1 vaccine induced broad immunity to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins.


1988 ◽  
pp. 185-196
Author(s):  
Anne Durandy ◽  
Alain Fischer ◽  
Edouard Drouhet ◽  
Claude Griscelli

2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo T. Fujiwara ◽  
Bin Zhan ◽  
Susana Mendez ◽  
Alex Loukas ◽  
Lilian L. Bueno ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Hookworm infection is one of most important parasitic infection of humans, occurring in 740 million people. Here we report the protective vaccination of dogs with Ac-16, an immunodominant surface antigen from the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. We show that immunization with Ac-16 formulated with AS03 elicited specific humoral and cellular immune responses and provided partial protection against hookworm infection and morbidity as evidenced by a significant reduction of hookworm egg counts (64% reduction; P = 0.0078) and worm-induced blood loss (P < 0.05). Moreover, specific anti-Ac-16 antibodies recognized the native protein on the surface of third-stage larvae and blocked their migration through tissue in vitro. Our data support the use of Ac-16 as a potential candidate for vaccination against hookworm infection.


1999 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 5567-5572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Félix Romain ◽  
Cynthia Horn ◽  
Pascale Pescher ◽  
Abdelkader Namane ◽  
Michel Riviere ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A protection against a challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is induced by previous immunization with living attenuated mycobacteria, usually bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The 45/47-kDa antigen complex (Apa) present in culture filtrates of BCG of M. tuberculosis has been identified and isolated based on its ability to interact mainly with T lymphocytes and/or antibodies induced by immunization with living bacteria. The protein is glycosylated. A large batch of Apa was purified from M. tuberculosis culture filtrate to determine the extent of glycosylation and its role on the expression of the immune responses. Mass spectrometry revealed a spectrum of glycosylated molecules, with the majority of species bearing six, seven, or eight mannose residues (22, 24, and 17%, respectively), while others three, four, or five mannoses (5, 9, and 14%, respectively). Molecules with one, two, or nine mannoses were rare (1.5, 3, and 3%, respectively), as were unglycosylated species (in the range of 1%). To eliminate the mannose residues linked to the protein, the glycosylated Apa molecules were chemically or enzymatically treated. The deglycosylated antigen was 10-fold less active than native molecules in eliciting delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in guinea pigs immunized with BCG. It was 30-fold less active than native molecules when assayed in vitro for its capacity to stimulate T lymphocytes primed in vivo. The presence of the mannose residues on the Apa protein was essential for the antigenicity of the molecules in T-cell-dependent immune responses in vitro and in vivo.


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