title: Pilot Study on Interferon-γ-producing T Cell Subsets after the Protective Vaccination with Radiation-attenuated Cercaria of Schistosoma japonicum in the Miniature Pig Model.
abstract: CLAWN miniature pig has been shown to serve as a suitable host for the experimental infection of Schistosoma japonicum. In this study, we found that radiation-attenuated cercaria (RAC) vaccine gave CLAWN miniature pigs protective immunity against subsequent challenge infection with S. japonicum cercaria. To characterize the protective immune response of the pig model vaccinated by attenuated cercaria, flow cytometric analysis of the reactive T cell subsets was performed. The intracellular interferon (IFN)-γ and the cell surface markers revealed the peripheral blood CD3+ T-lymphocytes produced significant amounts of IFN-γ during the immunization period and after the challenge infection. CD4+ αβ-T cells as well as CD4+/CD8α(mid) double positive and/or CD8α(high) αβ-T cells were the major IFN-γ-producing CD3+ T cells. On the contrary, γδ T cells did not produce intracellular IFN-γ. Our results suggested that RAC-vaccinated miniature pigs showed effective protective immunity through the activation of αβ T cells bearing antigen specific T-cell receptors but not through the activation of γδ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan ; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University , Minia, 61519, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ekhlas Hamed
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hafeez
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provintial Institute of Parasitic Diseases , Nanchang 330046, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Honggen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Boamah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases , Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuanxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-14-2 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirayama
keywords: IFN-γ; Schistosoma japonicum; Vaccine; miniature pig; radiation attenuated cercaria; αβ T cell receptor; γδ T cells