title: Induction of protective T-helper 1 immune responses against Echinococcus granulosus in mice by a multi-T-cell epitope antigen based on five proteins.
abstract: In this study, we designed an experiment to predict a potential immunodominant T-cell epitope and evaluate the protectivity of this antigen in immunised mice. The T-cell epitopes of the candidate proteins (EgGST, EgA31, Eg95, EgTrp and P14-3-3) were detected using available web-based databases. The synthesised DNA was subcloned into the pET41a+ vector and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion to glutathione-S-transferase protein (GST). The resulting chimeric protein was then purified by affinity chromatography. Twenty female C57BL/6 mice were immunised with the antigen emulsified in Freund's adjuvant. Mouse splenocytes were then cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium in the presence of the antigen. The production of interferon-γ was significantly higher in the immunised mice than in the control mice (> 1,300 pg/mL), but interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-4 production was not statistically different between the two groups. In a challenge study in which mice were infected with 500 live protoscolices, a high protectivity level (99.6%) was demonstrated in immunised BALB/C mice compared to the findings in the control groups [GST and adjuvant (Adj)]. These results demonstrate the successful application of the predicted T-cell epitope in designing a vaccine against Echinococcus granulosus in a mouse model.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahrak-e-Pajoohesh, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esmaelizad
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahmadian
authors.forename: Khosrow
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aghaiypour
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shamsara
authors.forename: Habibellah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paykari
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tebianian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015801:Helminth Proteins