title: The adjuvant-free immunoprotection of recombinant filarial protein Abundant Larval Transcript-2 (ALT-2) in Mastomys coucha and the immunoprophylactic importance of its putative signal sequence.
abstract: The filarial protein Abundant Larval Transcript-2 (ALT-2) of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi has been shown to produce 74% worm clearance when administered with an adjuvant. In the present study, we show that it not only induces humoral and cell-mediated immunity, but also protection up to 71% in Mastomys coucha, a permissive animal model for filariasis, even without adjuvant. This unique feature of ALT-2 protein is highly restricted to its 21 amino acid N-terminal signal sequence, the absence of which resulted in poor immune response as well as immunoprotection (49%). Moreover, ALT-2 is likely to exert immunoprotection effects in B. malayi infection by maintaining a Th1-Th2 balance, evident from higher levels of IgG1 and IgG2a as well as IL-4 and IFN-γ. An improved understanding about the role of this filarial protein in host immunity, host-parasite interaction and worm clearance will aid in the development of good immunoprophylaxis for the disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai 600 025, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharmila
authors.forename: Immanuel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Christiana
authors.forename: Pote
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiran
authors.forename: Maryada Venkata Rami
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Perumal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaliraj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005368:Filariasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051189:Murinae; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
chemical_list: C521555:ALT-2 protein, Brugia malayi; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic