Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparative evaluation of immunization with recombinant protein and plasmid DNA vaccines of fusion antigen ROP2 and SAG1 from Toxoplasma gondii in mice: cellular and humoral immune responses

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate immune responses in BALB/c mice vaccinated subcutaneously by recombinant protein, or intramuscularly by plasmid DNA with fusion antigen of rhoptry protein 2 (ROP2) and major surface protein 1 (SAG1) from Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). BALB/c mice were immunized with one of three different antigen formulations respectively, which were rROP2-SAG1, pcROP2-SAG1, and pcROP2-SAG1 boosted with rROP2-SAG1. The production of IgG, IgG subclasses, lymphoproliferation, and level of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) were detected after vaccination. The animals vaccinated with rROP2-SAG1 quickly developed specific anti-TLA (T. gondii lysate antigen) antibodies, which continued to rise after immunization. However, production of IgG against TLA in mice vaccinated with pcROP2-SAG1 was relatively slow and maintained a high level after reaching plateau. There are more vigorous specific lymphoproliferative responses observed in mice of group rROP2-SAG1 than in pcROP2-SAG1. Immune responses in mice of group pcROP2-SAG1 boosted with rROP2-SAG1 were similar to the protein immunization group. Three immunization procedures resulted in a similar level of IFN-γ production. Our results indicate that BALB/c mice vaccinated by three immunization procedures induce similar humoral and cellular immunity against infection of T. gondii. Mice immunized with recombinant protein rROP2-SAG1 produce more humoral immune responses than mice immunized with other antigen formulations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angus CW, Klivington-Evans D, Dubey JP, Kovacs JA (2000) Immunization with a DNA plasmid encoding the sag1 (p30) protein of Toxoplasma gondii is immunogenic and protective in rodents. J Infect Dis 181:317–324

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett SW, Rajasekar S, Legg H, Doe B, Fuller DH, Haynes JR, Walker CM, Steimer KS (1997) Vaccination with HIV-1 gp120 DNA induces immune responses that are boosted by a recombinant gp120 protein subunit. Vaccine 15:869–873

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beghetto E, Spadoni A, Bruno L, Buffolano W, Gargano N (2006) Chimeric antigens of Toxoplasma gondii: toward standardization of toxoplasmosis serodiagnosis using recombinant products. J Clin Microbiol 44:2133–2140

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denkers EY, Gazzinelli RT (1998) Regulation and function of T-cell-mediated immunity during Toxoplasma gondii infection. Clin Microbiol Rev 11:569–588

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dlugonska H, Gatkowska J, Kur J, Gasior A (2007) The vaccines against toxoplasmosis—current status of the studies. Wiad Parazytol 53:195–201

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dziadek B, Gatkowska J, Brzostek A, Dziadek J, Dzitko K, Dlugonska H (2009) Toxoplasma gondii: the immunogenic and protective efficacy of recombinant rop2 and rop4 rhoptry proteins in murine experimental toxoplasmosis. Exp Parasitol 123:81–89

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Echeverria PC, de Miguel N, Costas M, Angel SO (2006) Potent antigen-specific immunity to Toxoplasma gondii in adjuvant-free vaccination system using Rop2-Leishmania infantum Hsp83 fusion protein. Vaccine 24:4102–4110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fang R, Feng H, Nie H, Wang L, Tu P, Song Q, Zhou Y, Zhao J (2010) Construction and immunogenicity of pseudotype baculovirus expressing Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 protein in BALB/c mice model. Vaccine 28:1803–1807

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haumont M, Delhaye L, Garcia L, Jurado M, Mazzu P, Daminet V, Verlant V, Bollen A, Biemans R, Jacquet A (2000) Protective immunity against congenital toxoplasmosis with recombinant SAG1 protein in a guinea pig model. Infect Immun 68:4948–4953

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Igarashi M, Kano F, Tamekuni K, Machado RZ, Navarro IT, Vidotto O, Vidotto MC, Garcia JL (2008) Toxoplasma gondii: evaluation of an intranasal vaccine using recombinant proteins against brain cyst formation in BALB/c mice. Exp Parasitol 118:386–392

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Innes EA, Vermeulen AN (2006) Vaccination as a control strategy against the coccidial parasites Eimeria, Toxoplasma and Neospora. Parasitology 133(Suppl):S145–S168

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Letvin NL, Montefiori DC, Yasutomi Y, Perry HC, Davies ME, Lekutis C, Alroy M, Freed DC, Lord CI, Handt LK, Liu MA, Shiver JW (1997) Potent, protective anti-HIV immune responses generated by bimodal HIV envelope DNA plus protein vaccination. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:9378–9383

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leyva R, Herion P, Saavedra R (2001) Genetic immunization with plasmid DNA coding for the Rop2 protein of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res 87:70–79

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li WS, Lu HM, Min TS, Huang WD (2005) Cloning and expression of the fused gene of rhoptry protein Rop2 and major surface protein p30 from Toxoplasma gondii. Zhongguo Ji Sheng Chong Xue Yu Ji Sheng Chong Bing Za Zhi 23:415–418

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li WS, Zhu SL, Wang PF, Zhang LF, Min TS, Huang WD (2007) Preparation and identification of immune serum against recombinant fusion protein of rhoptry 2 and major surface protein 1 from Toxoplasma gondii. Zhongguo Ji Sheng Chong Xue Yu Ji Sheng Chong Bing Za Zhi 25:397–400

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu MM, Yuan ZG, Peng GH, Zhou DH, He XH, Yan C, Yin CC, He Y, Lin RQ, Song HQ, Zhu XQ (2010) Toxoplasma gondii microneme protein 8 (MIC8) is a potential vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis. Parasitol Res 106:1079–1084

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naguleswaran A, Fialho AM, Chaudhari A, Hong CS, Chakrabarty AM, Sullivan WJ Jr (2008) Azurin-like protein blocks invasion of Toxoplasma gondii through potential interactions with parasite surface antigen SAG1. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 52:402–408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Netzer WJ, Hartl FU (1997) Recombination of protein domains facilitated by co-translational folding in eukaryotes. Nature 388:343–349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen HV, Lauemoller SL, Christiansen L, Buus S, Fomsgaard A, Petersen E (1999) Complete protection against lethal Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice immunized with a plasmid encoding the SAG1 gene. Infect Immun 67:6358–6363

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pietkiewicz H, Hiszczynska-Sawicka E, Kur J, Petersen E, Nielsen HV, Stankiewicz M, Andrzejewska I, Myjak P (2004) Usefulness of Toxoplasma gondii-specific recombinant antigens in serodiagnosis of human toxoplasmosis. J Clin Microbiol 42:1779–1781

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qian Z, Xuan B, Hong J, Hao Z, Wang L, Huang W (2005) Expression and purification of the carboxyl terminus domain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe dicer in Escherichia coli. Protein Pept Lett 12:311–314

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rothel JS, Waterkeyn JG, Strugnell RA, Wood PR, Seow HF, Vadolas J, Lightowlers MW (1997) Nucleic acid vaccination of sheep: use in combination with a conventional adjuvanted vaccine against Taenia ovis. Immunol Cell Biol 75:41–46

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saavedra R, Becerril MA, Dubeaux C, Lippens R, De Vos MJ, Herion P, Bollen A (1996) Epitopes recognized by human T lymphocytes in the ROP2 protein antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. Infect Immun 64:3858–3862

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM (2000) Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol 30:1217–1258

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Liu Q, Liu K, Zhong W, Gao S, Jiang L, An N (2007) Immune response induced by recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG expressing ROP2 gene of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Int 56:263–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins DI (2010) HIV vaccine development. Top HIV Med 18:35–36

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (No. Y205567) and the foundation of science and technology bureau of Wenzhou City (No. Y2008008). We thank Dr. Weida Huang at Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University for helpful technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, 325035,, Zhejiang Province, China

    Wen-Shu Li, Qing-Xin Chen, Zi-Xin Xie, Jun Chen & Li-Fang Zhang

  2. School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China

    Ju-Xiu Ye

Authors
  1. Wen-Shu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qing-Xin Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ju-Xiu Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zi-Xin Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jun Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Li-Fang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li-Fang Zhang.

Additional information

Wen-Shu Li and Qing-Xin Chen contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, WS., Chen, QX., Ye, JX. et al. Comparative evaluation of immunization with recombinant protein and plasmid DNA vaccines of fusion antigen ROP2 and SAG1 from Toxoplasma gondii in mice: cellular and humoral immune responses. Parasitol Res 109, 637–644 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2296-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2296-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation