title: Neospora caninum: cloning and expression of a gene coding for cytokine-inducing profilin.
abstract: Profilins are actin-binding proteins that in Toxoplasma gondii stimulate innate immunity in mice by binding Toll-like receptors (TLR) on dendritic cells (DC) leading to release of inflammatory cytokines, primarily IL-12 and IFN-gamma. The purpose of the present study was to characterize Neospora caninum profilin, termed NcProfilin. Recombinant NcProfilin was purified by affinity chromatography, and used to prepare specific antisera to allow characterization of native NcProfilin antigen in N. caninum tachyzoites. By immunoblotting, recombinant NcProfilin is 22kDa, and is similar in size to the respective 22kDa native protein. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy localized native NcProfilin to the apical end of N. caninum tachyzoites. Incubation of recombinant NcProfilin with spleen cells from BALB/c mice induced release of IFN-gamma. Also, injection of BALB/c mice with purified rNcProfilin elicited a strong IFN-gamma and IL-12 responses at 6 and 24h after injection indicating that NcProfilin may be an important protein in regulation of cytokine responses to N. caninum.
authors.affiliation: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. mark.jenkins@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tuo
authors.forename: Xiaosheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fetterer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D051304:Profilins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D051304:Profilins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma