Plasmodium falciparum liver stage antigen-1 (PfLSA-1) is one of the few antigens expressed exclusively in liver stage parasites. In this study, we evaluated the antibody responses against recombinant PfLSA-1 in naturally infected individuals in Myanmar. High levels of antibody responses (70.7%) were detected in 82 serum samples from 116 infected individuals, and IgG responses to PfLSA-1 principally composed of responses of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses. These results show that PfLSA-1 elicits effective antibody responses in individuals infected with P. falciparum, and thus it could be not only an attractive candidate protein for vaccine development, but also a useful antigen for serodiagnosis of the infection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood/immunology ; Antigens, Protozoan/*immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Malaria, Falciparum/blood/epidemiology/*immunology ; Myanmar/epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo characterize the immune response induced by SAG1 encoding plasmid combined with IL-2 gene adjuvant in mice and to assess the protective effect of this vaccination against toxoplasmosis.

METHODSMice were co-injected intramuscularly with plasmid encoding Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 plus murine IL-2 expression vector at a dose of 100 microg. Booster immunizations were employed 2 more times at 3-week interval. As controls, mice were inoculated with PBS or empty plasmid pcDNA3. Humoral and cellular responses were assayed using ELISA for the determination of Ab, Ab isotype and IFN-gamma, as well as IL-4. To detect the integration and dissemination of DNA in the injected mice, PCR and in situ hybridization were performed. All mice were then infected with highly virulent RH tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii intraperitoneally.

RESULTSSignificant increases in specific IgG levels were observed in mice after immunization three times with SAG1 expression plasmid. With respect to the IgG isotype, co-inoculation of IL-2 expression plasmid enhanced the level of IgG2a and the production of IFN-gamma. Challenging mice by vaccinating with combined plasmids with RH tachyzoites resulted in prolonged survival.

CONCLUSIONHumoral and cytokine responses elicited by SAG1 DNA immunization can be modulated by co-inoculation with IL-2 expression plasmid. The use of DNA vaccine in combination with an appropriate cytokine gene to prevent T. gondii infection warrants further investigation.

Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan ; blood ; Antigens, Protozoan ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; classification ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; Mice ; Protozoan Proteins ; genetics ; Protozoan Vaccines ; immunology ; Toxoplasma ; immunology ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal ; prevention & control ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

Serologic tests are widely accepted for diagnosing Toxoplasma gondii but purification and standardization of antigen needs to be improved. Recently, surface tachyzoite and bradyzoite antigens have become more attractive for this purpose. In this study, diagnostic usefulness of 3 recombinant antigens (SAG1, SAG2, and SAG3) were evaluated, and their efficacy was compared with the available commercial ELISA. The recombinant plasmids were transformed to JM109 strain of Escherichia coli, and the recombinants were expressed and purified. Recombinant SAG1, SAG2, and SAG3 antigens were evaluated using different groups of sera in an ELISA system, and the results were compared to those of a commercial IgG and IgM ELISA kit. The sensitivity and specificity of recombinant surface antigens for detection of anti-Toxoplasma IgG in comparison with commercially available ELISA were as follows: SAG1 (93.6% and 92.9%), SAG2 (100.0% and 89.4%), and SAG3 (95.4% and 91.2%), respectively. A high degree of agreement (96.9%) was observed between recombinant SAG2 and commercial ELISA in terms of detecting IgG anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. P22 had the best performance in detecting anti-Toxoplasma IgM in comparison with the other 2 recombinant antigens. Recombinant SAG1, SAG2, and SAG3 could all be used for diagnosis of IgG-specific antibodies against T. gondii.
Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Antigens, Protozoan/diagnostic use/*genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Membrane Glycoproteins/*genetics ; Protozoan Proteins/*genetics ; Recombinant Proteins/diagnostic use/immunology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Toxoplasma/immunology ; Toxoplasmosis/blood/*diagnosis

Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan ; analysis ; Antigens, Protozoan ; analysis ; Asthma ; blood ; parasitology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Toxoplasma ; immunology ; Toxoplasmosis ; blood

The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis has been carried out using coprologic techniques in the Republic of Korea. However, antibody responses to Cryptosporidium have rarely been studied. Serum antibodies from HIV-positive/oocyst-positive Korean patients recognized significantly 31 and 27 kDa antigens, and HIV-negative/oocyst-positive individuals clearly reacted to 15/17 kDa antigens. Compared with oocyst-positive cases, 18.7% and 75.8% of sera from HIV-positive patients reacted to 31 and 27 kDa antigens. Only 11.1% of HIV-negative individuals reacted to 15/17 kDa. Based on these findings, serum antibody responses were different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with Cryptosporidium, and it is suggested that HIV-positive patients are more frequently exposed to C. parvum compared to HIV-negative individuals.
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/blood/*immunology ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood/immunology ; *Antibody Formation ; Antigens, Protozoan/chemistry/*immunology ; Blotting, Western/methods ; Cryptosporidiosis/blood/*immunology ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protozoan Proteins/chemistry/immunology

Field rodents involved in ecological food chains and which are the prey of carnivores in the natural environment may serve as reservoir hosts for Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans, however, no data has been published to date in Korea. A total of 1,008 Apodemus agrarius, a dominant species of field rodents in Korea, were trapped at various locations around the country, and their serum antibody (IgG) levels to T. gondii were examined by ELISA. The mean absorbance was 0.11, and fifteen samples (1.49%) showed positive titers from 0.18 to 0.59. The seropositive samples were analyzed by immunoblot. Five of them showed reactive bands to T. gondii water soluble antigens of 30, 35, and 43 kDa. This immunoblot analysis showed very similar patterns to that obtained using sera of experimentally infected mice with T. gondii. The present study presents indirect evidence of the existence of T. gondii in field rodents in Korea.
Animal ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood* ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoblotting ; Molecular Weight ; Muridae/parasitology* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/isolation & purification* ; Toxoplasma/immunology

A Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoite and oocyst lambda gt11 cDNA library was screened with a hyperimmune rabbit serum that was developed against insoluble fragments of ultrasonicated oocysts. A clone named Cp22.4.1 encoding a protein of 231 amino acids with 4 zinc-finger domains characterized by a Cys-X2-Cys-X4-His-X4-Cys motif was isolated and characterized. There was a complete match between the sequencing data of the coding region of Cp22.4.1 and the corresponding gene at chromosomal level. Cloning in a pBAD-TOPO-TA expression vector permitted to evaluate the antigenicity of the recombinant His-tagged antigen. This antigen was recognized by 2 out of 5 sera from Cryptosporidium immune calves and not by sera from parasite naive animals.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Antigens, Protozoan/chemistry/*immunology ; Base Sequence ; Cattle/*immunology ; Cryptosporidium parvum/*immunology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protozoan Proteins/chemistry/genetics ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; Zinc Fingers/genetics/*immunology

To control coccidiosis without using prophylactic medications, a DNA vaccine targeting the gametophyte antigen Gam56 from Eimeria maxima in chickens was constructed, and the immunogenicity and protective effects were evaluated. The ORF of Gam56 gene was cloned into an eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(zeo)+. Expression of Gam56 protein in COS-7 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid pcDNA-Gam56 was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The DNA vaccine was injected intramuscularly to yellow feathered broilers of 1-week old at 3 dosages (25, 50, and 100 microg/chick). Injection was repeated once 1 week later. One week after the second injection, birds were challenged orally with 5x10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. maxima, then weighed and killed at day 8 post challenge. Blood samples were collected and examined for specific peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation activity and serum antibody levels. Compared with control groups, the administration of pcDNA-Gam56 vaccine markedly increased the lymphocyte proliferation activity (P<0.05) at day 7 and 14 after the first immunization. The level of lymphocyte proliferation started to decrease on day 21 after the first immunization. A similar trend was seen in specific antibody levels. Among the 3 pcDNA-Gam56 immunized groups, the median dosage group displayed the highest lymphocyte proliferation and antibody levels (P<0.05). The median dosage group had the greatest relative body weight gain (89.7%), and the greatest oocyst shedding reduction (53.7%). These results indicate that median dosage of DNA vaccine had good immunogenicity and immune protection effects, and may be used in field applications for coccidiosis control.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Antigens, Protozoan/genetics/*immunology ; Cell Proliferation ; Chickens ; Coccidiosis/immunology/pathology/*prevention & control ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eimeria/genetics/*immunology ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Lymphocytes/immunology ; Protozoan Vaccines/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; Vaccination/methods ; Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology

Plasmodium vivax reemerged in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 1993, and is likely to continue to affect public health. The purpose of this study was to measure levels of anti-P. vivax antibodies using indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in border areas of ROK, to determine the seroprevalence of malaria (2003-2005) and to plan effective control strategies. Blood samples of the inhabitants in Gimpo-si, Paju-si, and Yeoncheon-gun (Gyeonggi-do), and Cheorwon-gun (Gangwon-do) were collected and kept in Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Out of a total of 1,774 serum samples tested, the overall seropositivity was 0.94% (n=17). The seropositivity was the highest in Paju-si (1.9%, 7/372), followed by Gimpo-si (1.4%, 6/425), Yeoncheon-gun (0.67%, 3/451), and Cheorwon-gun (0.19%, 1/526). The annual parasite incidence (API) in these areas gradually decreased from 2003 to 2005 (1.69, 1.09, and 0.80 in 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively). The highest API was found in Yeoncheon-gun, followed by Cheorwon-gun, Paju-si, and Gimpo-si. The API ranking in these areas did not change over the 3 years. The seropositivity of Gimpo-si showed a strong linear relationship with the API of 2005 (r=0.9983, P=0.036). Seropositivity data obtained using IFAT may be useful for understanding malaria prevalence of relevant years, predicting future transmission of malaria, and for establishing and evaluating malaria control programs in affected areas.
Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Incidence ; Malaria, Vivax/*epidemiology ; Plasmodium vivax/*immunology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

In this experiment, the correlation between antigenemia and specific antibody responses in Toxoplasma gondii-infected rabbits was assessed. We injected 1,000 T. gondii tachyzoites (RH) subcutaneously into 5 rabbits. Parasitemia, circulating antigens, and IgM and IgG antibody titers in blood were tested by ELISA and immunoblot. For detection of parasitemia, mice were injected with blood from rabbits infected with T. gondii and mice died between days 2 and 10 post-infection (PI). Circulating antigens were detected early on day 2 PI, and the titers increased from day 4 PI and peaked on day 12 PI. Anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibody titers increased on day 6 PI and peaked on days 14-16 PI. IgG was detected from day 10 PI, and the titers increased continuously during the experiment. The antigenic protein patterns differed during the infection period, and the number of bands increased with ongoing infection by the immunoblot analysis. These result indicated that Toxoplasma circulating antigens during acute toxoplasmosis are closely related to the presence of parasites in blood. Also, the circulating antigen levels were closely correlated with IgM titers, but not with IgG titers. Therefore, co-detection of circulating antigens with IgM antibodies may improve the reliability of the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Antigens, Protozoan/*blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods ; Immunoblotting/methods ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Immunoglobulin M/*blood ; Mice ; Parasitemia ; Rabbits ; Time Factors ; Toxoplasma/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*immunology/parasitology