title: A nematode allergen elicits protection against challenge infection under specific conditions.
abstract: We describe tropomyosin of the filarial nematode Acanthocheilonema viteae as an allergen and study its protective potential in the natural rodent host Meriones unguiculatus (jird). Jirds immunized with recombinant E. coli-expressed A. viteae tropomyosin emulsified in alum were not protected, while immunization with recombinant A. viteae tropomyosin or with protein purified from worms together with the adjuvant STP led to reduction of adult worm burdens by 30%. Vaccination with cDNA induced protection of about 30%, while application of cDNA together with aluminium phosphate increased the protection to >40%. Our data suggest that vaccination with tropomyosin under Th1 conditions, which are atypical for nematode infections, induces protection via an antibody independent effector mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology (Institute of Biology), Humboldt-University Berlin, Philippstr. 13, D-10115 Berlin, Germany. susanne.hartmann@rz.hu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Michal J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sereda
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sollwedel
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalinna
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucius
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004153:Dipetalonema / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014335:Tropomyosin; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic