title: Intranasal immunization with recombinant Toxoplasma gondii actin depolymerizing factor confers protective efficacy against toxoplasmosis in mice.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan closely associated with AIDS and vertical transmission. T. gondii actin depolymerizing factor (TgADF) plays an important role in actin cytoskeleton remodeling, and it is required to invade host cells. TgADF was a promising vaccine candidate. To observe the immunological changes and protective efficacy of recombinant TgADF protein (rTgADF) against T. gondii infection, we optimized the intranasal immunization dose of rTgADF and analyzed the survival rate and tachyzoite loads in mouse tissues after oral challenge with T. gondii tachyzoites.
  
  
  
  rTgADF was prepared, purified, and combined with mouse anti-His antibody and rabbit anti-T. gondii serum. After intranasal immunization with 10 μg, 20 μg, 30 μg, or 40 μg of rTgADF, the 30-μg group elicited high levels of secretory IgA (sIgA) in nasal, intestinal, and vesical washes, raised IgG titres in the sera, strong proliferation of splenocytes, and increased secretion of IL-2 and IFN-γ when compared with the control group. When the mice were orally challenged with T. gondii, an increase in the survival rate (36.36 %) and a decrease in the tachyzoite loads in the liver (67.77 %) and brain (51.01 %) were observed.
  
  
  
  Our findings demonstrate that intranasal immunization with rTgADF can simultaneously trigger mucosal and systemic immune responses and protect the mice against T. gondii infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhuanzhuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Litian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yaqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaofan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiazhi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanjuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People's Republic of China. ZKY02@163.com.
authors.forename: Kuiyang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China. caojp@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051345:Destrin / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D051345:Destrin; D007106:Immune Sera; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
keywords: Actin depolymerizing factor; Intranasal immunization; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis