Modulation Effects of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Histone H2A1 on Murine Macrophages and Encapsulation with Polymer as a Vaccine Candidate
Zhengqing Yu,
Tianyuan Zhou,
Yanxin Luo,
Lu Dong,
Chunjing Li,
Junlong Liu,
Jianxun Luo,
Ruofeng Yan,
Lixin Xu,
Xiaokai Song,
Xiangrui Li
Affiliations
Zhengqing Yu
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Tianyuan Zhou
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Yanxin Luo
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Lu Dong
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Chunjing Li
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Junlong Liu
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
Jianxun Luo
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
Ruofeng Yan
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Lixin Xu
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Xiaokai Song
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Xiangrui Li
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is the most common zoonotic protozoa and has infected about one-third of the population worldwide. Recombinant epitopes encapsulated in nanospheres have advantages over traditional T. gondii vaccines. For an efficient delivery system, poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and chitosan are the most frequently used biodegradable polymeric nanospheres with strong safety profiles. In the present study, we first expressed and purified histone H2A1 of T. gondii using the prokaryotic expression system. The effects of recombinant TgH2A1 on the functions of murine macrophages were then studied. Purified recombinant TgH2A1 was then encapsulated in nanospheres with PLGA and chitosan. After subcutaneous vaccination in mice, the immune response was evaluated by double antibody sandwich ELISA kits. The results from this study showed that PLGA and chitosan loaded with rTgH2A1 could trigger a stronger Th1 oriented immune response and prolong the survival time of mice effectively. In conclusion, PLGA and chitosan nanospheres loaded with histone H2A1 are an effective method for the development of vaccines against T. gondii. Further studies should focus on evaluating the regulatory mechanism of TgH2A1, vaccine potency, and cellular response in chronic T. gondii infections.
