title: Evaluation of protective effect of pVAX-TgMIC13 plasmid against acute and chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in a murine model.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a significant zoonotic parasite which can cause congenital infection and abortion in warm-blooded animals and humans. Microneme protein 13 (MIC13) plays an important role in attachment and penetration of the host cell by T. gondii. In this study, a DNA vaccine expressing mic13 of T. gondii was constructed and its protective efficacy was evaluated in Kunming L615(H2k) mice. Immunization with pVAX-TgMIC13 induced a strong immune responses demonstrated by significant lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production and antibody responses. Immunized mice showed increased survival time (21.3±11.3 days) and reduced number of cysts in brain of mice (57.14%) after challenge with tachyzoites of the virulent T. gondii RH strain and cysts of the T. gondii PRU strain, respectively, demonstrating that T. gondii MIC13 is a potential vaccine candidate, worth being included in future vaccine development against acute and chronic T. gondii infection.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, PR China. ziguoyuan@scau.edu.cn
authors.forename: Zi-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Dong-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiu-Xiang
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Eskild
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Xiu-Zhen
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Gui-Lian
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA