Immunization of mice with plasmid DNA coding for NcGRA7 or NcsHSP33 confers partial protection against vertical transmission of Neospora caninum.
The purpose of the present study was to use direct plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) injection to identify specific antigens that confer protection against congenital transfer of Neospora caninum. Inbred BALB/c mice were vaccinated before pregnancy with a recombinant plasmid containing sequences encoding N. caninum antigen NcGRA7 or NcsHSP33. The mice were challenged with N. caninum tachyzoites at 10-12 days of gestation. Whereas 100% of pups born from dams immunized with control plasmid contained detectable levels of N. caninum DNA in a Neospora-specific polymerase chain reaction assay, only 46% of pups from pCMVi-NcGRA7-immunized mice and 53% of pCMVi-NcsHSP33-immunized mice were N. caninum positive, and none of the mice immunized with tachyzoite extract contained N. caninum DNA. Thus, immunization of mice with plasmid DNA expressing N. caninum antigens conferred partial protection against congenital neosporosis.
Liddell
Susan
S
Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA.
Parker
Carolyn
C
Vinyard
Bryan
B
Jenkins
Mark
M
Dubey
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C112573:GRA7 protein, Toxoplasma gondii; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA