title: Helminth protein vaccine induced follicular T helper cell for enhancement of humoral immunity against Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: Protein vaccines combined with adjuvants have been widely used to induce immune responses, especially the humoral immune response, against molecular targets including parasites. Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are the specialized providers of B-cell help, however, the induction of Tfh cells in protein vaccination has been rarely studied. Here, we report that the Schistosoma japonicum recombinant protein (SjGST-32) combined with tacrolimus (FK506) augmented the induction of Tfh cells, which expressed the canonical markers CXCR5, BCL6, and IL-21, and enhanced the humoral immune responses in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, the expression of IL-21R on germinal center (GC) B cells and memory B cells increased in immunized mice, which indicated that IL-21 from the induced Tfh cells interacted with IL-21R for activation of B cells and maintenance of long-lived humoral immunity. Our results suggest that helminth protein vaccine combined with FK506 induces Tfh cell for stimulating humoral immune responses and inducing long-lived humoral immunity.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Jingyao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Qirui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Bobo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Youmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000187:drug effects; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D053738:Interleukin-21 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; C508118:Il21r protein, mouse; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D053738:Interleukin-21 Receptor alpha Subunit; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014612:Vaccines; D000098546:Interleukin-21; D016559:Tacrolimus