title: Characterization of a partially protective B-cell epitope within the 62 kDa antigen of Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: Approximately 200 million people worldwide currently suffer from schistosomiasis, one of the most important human parasitic diseases. Although an established infection can be treated with anthelminthics and praziquantel, vaccination would be the ideal method for integral control of schistosomiasis. Schistosoma mansoni IrV-5, recommended as a vaccine candidate by the World Health Organization/Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, produced high protection in animal models. We therefore focused on its homolog, the Schistosoma japonicum 62 kDa antigen, and analyzed it using B cell/antibody-related databases and analysis tools for the prediction of B-cell epitopes. Epitope B3 was selected for further investigation. Experiments using a murine model indicated that mice immunized with B3 resulted in lymphocytes proliferation and produced high levels of specific immunoglobulin G and G1, but did not produce impressive cytokines. The vaccination showed partial protective immunity, measured by worm burden and anti-fecundity immunity against S. japonicum. These results indicated that the epitope B3 from S. japonicum 62-kDa antigen might act as a candidate immunogen for future epitope vaccine investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Province Laboratory of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yanfen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jiaqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jianghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhaosong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guanling
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C118909:Sj62 protein, Schistosoma japonicum