title: Eimeria maxima recombinant Gam82 gametocyte antigen vaccine protects against coccidiosis and augments humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
abstract: Intestinal infection with Eimeria, the etiologic agent of avian coccidiosis, stimulates protective immunity to subsequent colonization by the homologous parasite, while cross-protection against heterologous species is poor. As a first step toward the development of a broad specificity Eimeria vaccine, this study was designed to assess a purified recombinant protein from Eimeria maxima gametocytes (Gam82) in stimulating immunity against experimental infection with live parasites. Following Gam82 intramuscular immunization and oral parasite challenge, body weight gain, fecal oocyst output, lesion scores, serum antibody response, and cytokine production were assessed to evaluate vaccination efficacy. Animals vaccinated with Gam82 and challenged with E. maxima showed lower oocyst shedding and reduced intestinal pathology compared with non-vaccinated and parasite-challenged animals. Gam82 vaccination also stimulated the production of antigen-specific serum antibodies and induced greater levels of IL-2 and IL-15 mRNAs compared with non-vaccinated controls. These results demonstrate that the Gam82 recombinant protein protects against E. maxima and augments humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
authors.affiliation: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
authors.forename: Seung I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Hyun S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lillehoj
authors.forename: Sung Hyen
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung Woo
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myeong Seon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung-Rok
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Erik P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Lillehoj
authors.forename: B Mohana
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sriraman
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004539:Eimeria / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016207:Cytokines; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines