title: Trans-sialidase from Trypanosoma brucei as a potential target for DNA vaccine development against African trypanosomiasis.
abstract: African trypanosomiasis (AT), also known as sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana in animals, is a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. AT is an extremely debilitating disease in human, cattle, and wild animals, and the treatment is difficult with frequent relapses. This work shows that BALB-c mice immunized intramuscularly with a single dose (100 microg) of a plasmid DNA encoding the 5'-terminal region of the trans-sialidase (nTSA) gene of T. brucei brucei are able to produce IgG antibodies that bind to the bloodstream form of T. brucei-protein extract and recognize the recombinant nTSA protein, expressed in Escherichia coli. Furthermore, this DNA vaccination process was able to protect 60% of mice submitted to a challenge assay with the infective form of T. brucei brucei parasites. These results demonstrate that a DNA vaccine coding for trans-sialidase from T. brucei is potentially useful in the prophylaxis of AT.
authors: Unidade de Ensino e Investigação de Clínica das Doenças Tropicais, Centro de Malária e Outras Doenças Tropicais, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal. mssilva@ihmt.unl.pt
authors: Marcelo Sousa
authors: MS
authors: Silva
authors: Duarte Miguel F
authors: DM
authors: Prazeres
authors: Andreia
authors: A
authors: Lança
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Atouguia
authors: Gabriel Amaro
authors: GA
authors: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000201:enzymology*; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C069715:trans-sialidase; D009439:Neuraminidase