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Evaluation of protective effect of multiantigenic DNA vaccine encoding MIC3 and ROP18 antigen segments of Toxoplasma gondii in mice

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Abstract

The high incidence and severe damage caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection clearly indicates the need for the development of a vaccine. In this study, we evaluated the immune responses and protection against toxoplasmosis by immunizing ICR mice with a multiantigenic DNA vaccine. To develop the multiantigenic vaccine, two T. gondii antigens, MIC3 and ROP18, selected on the basis of previous studies were chosen. ICR mice were immunized subcutaneously with PBS, empty pcDNA3.1 vector, pMIC3, pROP18, and pROP18–MIC3, respectively. The results of lymphocyte proliferation assay, cytokine, and antibody determinations showed that mice immunized with pROP18–MIC3 elicited stronger humoral and Th1-type cellular immune responses than those immunized with single-gene plasmids, empty plasmid, or phosphate-buffered saline. After a lethal challenge with the highly virulent T. gondii RH strain, a prolonged survival time in pROP18–MIC3-immunized mice was observed in comparison to control groups. Our study indicates that the introduction of multiantigenic DNA vaccine is more powerful and efficient than single-gene vaccine, and deserves further evaluation and development.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 31201895), Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (grant no. LQ12C18001), and Zhejiang Gongshang University (grant no. 1110KU112018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food Safety Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310035, People’s Republic of China

    Daofeng Qu & Jianzhong Han

  2. Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310029, China

    Aifang Du

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  1. Daofeng Qu
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  2. Jianzhong Han
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Correspondence to Daofeng Qu.

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Qu, D., Han, J. & Du, A. Evaluation of protective effect of multiantigenic DNA vaccine encoding MIC3 and ROP18 antigen segments of Toxoplasma gondii in mice. Parasitol Res 112, 2593–2599 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3425-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3425-0

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