title: Synthetic p55 tandem DNA vaccine against Pneumocystis carinii in rats.
abstract: Pneumocystis spp. are opportunistic fungal pathogens that are closely associated with severe pneumonia and pulmonary complications in patients with impaired immunity. In this study, the antigenic epitopes of the gene encoding the 55 kDa antigen fragment of Pneumocystis (p55), which may play an important role in Pneumocystis pneumonia, were analyzed. A gene containing tandem variants of the p55 antigen was synthesized and named the tandem antigen gene (TAG). TAG's potential as a DNA vaccine was assessed in immunosuppressed rats. Immunization with p55-TAG DNA vaccine significantly reduced both the pathogen burden and lung-weight to body-weight ratios. Additionally, p55-TAG vaccination in immunosuppressed rats elicited both cell-mediated and humoral immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
authors.forename: Jiu-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
authors.forename: Su-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005657:Fungal Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C080689:55 kDa protein, Pneumocystis carinii; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D016207:Cytokines; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D005657:Fungal Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
keywords: DNA vaccine; Pneumocystis; p55; tandem antigen gene