The TLR agonist profilin protein from Toxoplasma gondii enhance immunity against GRA7 protein in mice

NADIA ARCON, MARIANO S. PICCHIO, IGNACIO M. FENOY, MATÍAS D. PERRONE SIBILIA, ARIADNA S. SOTO, VANESA R. SÁNCHEZ, MARÍA DE LOS ÁNGELES ALDIRICO, ALEJANDRA GOLDMAN, VALENTINA MARTIN

Congreso; SAIC-SAI-SAFE- LXIV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología; 2016

The development of vaccines against T. gondii infection is a high priority, given the high rate of infection close to 30% of the world population. The only commercial vaccine is based on live attenuated parasites used in sheep to prevent abortions induced by congenital toxoplasmosis. TLR ligands are attractive adjuvant candidates in vaccine development. T. gondii profilin (TgPF), is a protein involved in parasite motility and is recognized by TLR-5, -11 and -12 receptors of the innate immune system. Activation of these receptors results in the expression of IL-12, cytokine involved in the differentiation of naive T cells towards a Th1 phenotype, immune response profile associated with protection against infection by this parasite. The aim of the present work was to study the immunogenicity of a vaccine formulation containing a recombinant form of TgPF (rTgPF) in combination with T. gondii dense granule GRA7 recombinant protein (rGRA7). Mice were intradermaly immunized 4 times with a 2-week interval with rTgPF, rGRA7, rGRA7+ACF or rGRA7+rTgPF. rTgPF significantly enhanced anti-GRA7 IgG levels compared to rGRA7 without adjuvant (p