title: Immunization with the recombinant antigen Ss-IR induces protective immunity to infection with Strongyloides stercoralis in mice.
abstract: Human intestinal infections with the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis remain a significant problem worldwide and a vaccine would be a useful addition to the tools available to prevent and control this infection. The goal of this study was to test single antigens for their efficacy in a vaccine against S. stercoralis larvae in mice. Alum was used as the adjuvant in these studies and antigens selected for analysis were either recognized by protective human IgG (Ss-TMY-1, Ss-EAT-6, and Ss-LEC-5) or were known to be highly immunogenic in humans (Ss-NIE-1 and Ss-IR). Only mice immunized with the Ss-IR antigen demonstrated a significant decrease of approximately 80% in the survival of larval parasites in the challenge infection. Antibodies, recovered from mice with protective immunity to S. stercoralis after immunization with Ss-IR, were used to locate the antigen in the larvae. Confocal microscopy revealed that IgG from mice immunized with Ss-IR bound to the surface of the parasites and observations by electron microscopy indicated that IgG bound to granules in the glandular esophagus. Serum collected from mice immunized with Ss-IR passively transferred immunity to naïve mice. These studies demonstrate that Ss-IR, in combination with alum, induces high levels of protective immunity through an antibody dependent mechanism and may therefore be suitable for further development as a vaccine against human strongyloidiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, 233 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. David.Abraham@Jefferson.edu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Rojelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mejia
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lustigman
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Nutman
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D007814:Larva / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; C041524:aluminum sulfate