Immunoprotective effect and mechanism of rEg.P29 against CD4⁺ T cell-deficient mice with Echinococcus multilocularis infection

Abstract

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis and a major challenge to human public health. Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent and control infectious diseases. We previously revealed that the Echinocuccus granulosus recombinant protein P29 is a good vaccine candidate against E. granulosus. However, the protective and immunological mechanism of rEg.P29 against E. multilocularis remain unclear. In this study, CD4+ T cell-deficient mice are transferred with spleen CD4+ T cells isolated from wild-type mice and subjected to rEg.P29 immunization, and then these immunized mice are infected with E. multilocularis. The cyst inhibition rate is calculated by weighing the body and cyst weights. The level of antibody is detected by ELISA. Flow cytometry is used to detect the level of IFN-γ production by CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells. The cytokines in culture supernatant are detected by ELISA. The expressions of CD44 and CD62L on memory T cells are determined by flow cytometry. The results show the cyst inhibition rate is 41.52% after adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, the levels of IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE in serum are significantly increased compared with those in the PBS group. The IFN-γ-secretion by CD8+ T cells and the level of IFN-γ in culture supernatant are obviously increased; and the number of CD4+ T cells is increased, but the number of IFN-γ producing CD4+ T cells has no significant difference compared with PBS group. In addition, the number of CD44+CD62L‒CD8+ memory T cells in the spleen is significantly increased, while the number of CD44‒CD62L+ CD8+ memory T cells is not significantly altered. Collectively, rEg.P29 can alleviate E. multilocularis infection by inducing humoral immune responses and CD8+ T cell responses.

Keywords

• CD4⁺ T cell-deficient mice
• rEg.P29
• <italic>Echinococcus multilocularis</italic>