title: Trypanosome microtubule-associated protein p15 as a vaccine for the prevention of African sleeping sickness.
abstract: Trypanosomes cause African sleeping sickness, affecting millions of humans and animals. We tested trypanosome microtubule-associate protein (MAP p15) as a vaccine in mice, and show that p15 (native or recombinant) generated up to 100% protection from an otherwise lethal challenge of a heterologous strain of Trypanosoma brucei. We also tested the adenovirus as a vaccine delivery system and show that both adenoviral vector containing p15 gene or control adenovirus containing lacZ gene generated a protective response and exhibited strong CD8+ T-cell proliferation. These results suggest that the p15 protein itself is an effective vaccine and that the adenovirus may be used to mount a non-specific cellular immune response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Meyer Hall, Room 3135, Davis, CA 95616, USA. rrasooly@whnrc.usda.gov
authors.forename: Reuven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rasooly
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balaban
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010957:Plasmids; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D001616:beta-Galactosidase