title: Cellular responses to Schistosoma japonicum cathepsin D aspartic protease.
abstract: Lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production were measured in groups of mice vaccinated (but not subsequently challenge infected) with recombinant forms of Schistosoma japonicum cathepsin D aspartic protease, rSjASP1 (expressed in bacteria; enzymatically inactive) and rSjASP2 (expressed in insect cells; enzymatically active). Both forms of the schistosome enzyme induced significant proliferation of splenocytes recovered from vaccinated mice, and expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 mRNA in these cells was detected using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Secretion of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 by splenocytes from vaccinated mice was confirmed and quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IFN-gamma was the most abundant cytokine produced, followed by IL-4 and IL-10 in rank order. These findings indicated that vaccination of mice with the schistosome protease induces a mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine response, which may explain the modest level of protection after challenge infection in cathepsin D-vaccinated mice, reported previously.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology and CRC for Vaccine Technology, The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Christiana K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Verity
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brindley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000517:prevention & control; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014612:Vaccines; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D002402:Cathepsin D