title: Recombinant Toxoplasma gondii phosphoglycerate mutase 2 confers protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice.
abstract: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses worldwide. It has a high incidence and can result in severe disease in humans and livestock. Effective vaccines are needed to limit and prevent infection with Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, we evaluated the immuno-protective efficacy of a recombinant Toxoplasma gondii phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (rTgPGAM 2) against T. gondii infection in BALB/c mice. We report that the mice nasally immunised with rTgPGAM 2 displayed significantly higher levels of special IgG antibodies against rTgPGAM 2 (including IgG1, IgG2a and IgAs) and cytokines (including IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-4) in their blood sera and supernatant of cultured spleen cells compared to those of control animals. In addition, an increased number of spleen lymphocytes and enhanced lymphocyte proliferative responses were observed in the rTgPGAM 2-immunised mice. After chronic infection and lethal challenge with the highly virulent T. gondii RH strain by oral gavage, the survival time of the rTgPGAM 2-immunised mice was longer (P < 0.01) and the survival rate (70%) was higher compared with the control mice (P < 0.01). The reduction rate of brain and liver tachyzoites in rTgPGAM 2-vaccinated mice reached approximately 57% and 69% compared with those of the control mice (P < 0.01). These results suggest that rTgPGAM 2 can generate protective immunity against T. gondii infection in BALB/c mice and may be a promising antigen in the further development of an effective vaccine against T. gondii infection.
authors.affiliation: Academy of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Hai-Long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Academy of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Xi'an Red Cross Hospital, Xi'an, Shanxi 710000, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Control, The Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi, Hubei 445000, PR China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Academy of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-Tian
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private bag 92-019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ji-Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Academy of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals and Animal Models of Human Diseases, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Chun-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Academy of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
authors.forename: Guo-Rong
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology; D010736:Phosphoglycerate Mutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C000611669:phosphoglycerate mutase 2, Toxoplasma gondii; D010736:Phosphoglycerate Mutase