title: Protection against lethal Neospora caninum infection in mice induced by heterologous vaccination with a mic1 mic3 knockout Toxoplasma gondii strain.
abstract: Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are closely related, obligate intracellular parasites infecting a wide range of vertebrate hosts and causing abortion and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Several lines of evidence suggest that cross immunity between these two pathogens could be exploited in the design of strategies for heterologous vaccination. We assessed the ability of an attenuated strain of T. gondii ("mic1-3KO strain") conferring strong protection against chronic and congenital toxoplasmosis to protect mice against lethal N. caninum infection. Mice immunized with mic1-3KO tachyzoites by the oral and intraperitoneal routes developed a strong cellular Th1 response and displayed significant protection against lethal heterologous N. caninum infection, with survival rates of 70% and 80%, respectively, whereas only 30% of the nonimmunized mice survived. We report here the acquisition of heterologous protective immunity against N. caninum following immunization with a live attenuated mic1-3KO strain of T. gondii.
authors.affiliation: UMR Université-INRA d'Immunologie Parasitaire et Vaccinologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, 31 Avenue Monge, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Diana Marcela
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Penarete-Vargas
authors.forename: Marie Noelle
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Mévélec
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dion
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sèche
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dimier-Poisson
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fandeur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C105877:MIC1 protein, Toxoplasma gondii; C421382:MIC3 protein, Toxoplasma gondii; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated