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Durães-Oliveira J, Palma-Marques J, Moreno C, Rodrigues A, Monteiro M, Alexandre-Pires G, da Fonseca IP, Santos-Gomes G. Chagas Disease: A Silent Threat for Dogs and Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3840. [PMID: 38612650 PMCID: PMC11011309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a vector-borne Neglected Zoonotic Disease (NZD) caused by a flagellate protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, that affects various mammalian species across America, including humans and domestic animals. However, due to an increase in population movements and new routes of transmission, T. cruzi infection is presently considered a worldwide health concern, no longer restricted to endemic countries. Dogs play a major role in the domestic cycle by acting very efficiently as reservoirs and allowing the perpetuation of parasite transmission in endemic areas. Despite the significant progress made in recent years, still there is no vaccine against human and animal disease, there are few drugs available for the treatment of human CD, and there is no standard protocol for the treatment of canine CD. In this review, we highlight human and canine Chagas Disease in its different dimensions and interconnections. Dogs, which are considered to be the most important peridomestic reservoir and sentinel for the transmission of T. cruzi infection in a community, develop CD that is clinically similar to human CD. Therefore, an integrative approach, based on the One Health concept, bringing together the advances in genomics, immunology, and epidemiology can lead to the effective development of vaccines, new treatments, and innovative control strategies to tackle CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Durães-Oliveira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
| | - Joana Palma-Marques
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
| | - Cláudia Moreno
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
| | - Armanda Rodrigues
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
| | - Marta Monteiro
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FMV, University of Lisbon, ULisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal; (G.A.-P.); (I.P.d.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Graça Alexandre-Pires
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FMV, University of Lisbon, ULisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal; (G.A.-P.); (I.P.d.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Isabel Pereira da Fonseca
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FMV, University of Lisbon, ULisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal; (G.A.-P.); (I.P.d.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gabriela Santos-Gomes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.D.-O.); (G.S.-G.)
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Rios LE, Lokugamage N, Choudhuri S, Chowdhury IH, Garg NJ. Subunit nanovaccine elicited T cell functional activation controls Trypanosoma cruzi mediated maternal and placental tissue damage and improves pregnancy outcomes in mice. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:188. [PMID: 38104118 PMCID: PMC10725459 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00782-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated a candidate vaccine effect against maternal Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) infection and improved pregnancy outcomes. For this, TcG2 and TcG4 were cloned in a nanoplasmid optimized for delivery, antigen expression, and regulatory compliance (nano2/4 vaccine). Female C57BL/6 mice were immunized with nano2/4, infected (Tc SylvioX10), and mated 7-days post-infection to enable fetal development during the maternal acute parasitemia phase. Females were euthanized at E12-E17 (gestation) days. Splenic and placental T-cell responses were monitored by flow cytometry. Maternal and placental/fetal tissues were examined for parasites by qPCR and inflammatory infiltrate by histology. Controls included age/immunization-matched non-pregnant females. Nano2/4 exhibited no toxicity and elicited protective IgG2a/IgG1 response in mice. Nano2/4 signaled a splenic expansion of functionally active CD4+ effector/effector memory (Tem) and central memory (Tcm) cells in pregnant mice. Upon challenge infection, nano2/4 increased the splenic CD4+ and CD8+T cells in all mice and increased the proliferation of CD4+Tem, CD4+Tcm, and CD8+Tcm subsets producing IFNγ and cytolytic molecules (PRF1, GZB) in pregnant mice. A balanced serum cytokines/chemokines response and placental immune characteristics indicated that pregnancy prevented the overwhelming damaging immune response in mice. Importantly, pregnancy itself resulted in a significant reduction of parasites in maternal and fetal tissues. Nano2/4 was effective in arresting the Tc-induced tissue inflammatory infiltrate, necrosis, and fibrosis in maternal and placental tissues and improving maternal fertility, placental efficiency, and fetal survival. In conclusion, we show that maternal nano2/4 vaccination is beneficial in controlling the adverse effects of Tc infection on maternal health, fetal survival, and pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette Elaine Rios
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Subhadip Choudhuri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Imran Hussain Chowdhury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA.
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII), UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences (SIVS), UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA.
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Nguyen DM, Poveda C, Pollet J, Gusovsky F, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Jones KM. The impact of vaccine-linked chemotherapy on liver health in a mouse model of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011519. [PMID: 37988389 PMCID: PMC10697595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly manifests as cardiac disease. However, the liver is important for both controlling parasite burdens and metabolizing drugs. Notably, high doses of anti-parasitic drug benznidazole (BNZ) causes liver damage. We previously showed that combining low dose BNZ with a prototype therapeutic vaccine is a dose sparing strategy that effectively reduced T. cruzi induced cardiac damage. However, the impact of this treatment on liver health is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated several markers of liver health after treatment with low dose BNZ plus the vaccine therapy in comparison to a curative dose of BNZ. METHODOLOGY Female BALB/c mice were infected with a bioluminescent T. cruzi H1 clone for approximately 70 days, then randomly divided into groups of 15 mice each. Mice were treated with a 25mg/kg BNZ, 25μg Tc24-C4 protein/ 5μg E6020-SE (Vaccine), 25mg/kg BNZ followed by vaccine, or 100mg/kg BNZ (curative dose). At study endpoints we evaluated hepatomegaly, parasite burden by quantitative PCR, cellular infiltration by histology, and expression of B-cell translocation gene 2(BTG2) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) by RT-PCR. Levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were quantified from serum. RESULTS Curative BNZ treatment significantly reduced hepatomegaly, liver parasite burdens, and the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but significantly elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, and LDH. Low BNZ plus vaccine did not significantly affect hepatomegaly, parasite burdens or the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but only elevated ALT and AST. Low dose BNZ significantly decreased expression of both BTG2 and PPARα, and curative BNZ reduced expression of BTG2 while low BNZ plus vaccine had no impact. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm toxicity associated with curative doses of BNZ and suggest that while dose sparing low BNZ plus vaccine treatment does not reduce parasite burdens, it better preserves liver health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duc Minh Nguyen
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Fabian Gusovsky
- Global Health Research, Eisai, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
- James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Marie Jones
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Nguyen DM, Poveda C, Pollet J, Gusovsky F, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Jones KM. The impact of vaccine-linked chemotherapy on liver health in a mouse model of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548497. [PMID: 37503013 PMCID: PMC10369866 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Chagas disease, chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly manifests as cardiac disease. However, the liver is important for both controlling parasite burdens and metabolizing drugs. Notably, high doses of anti-parasitic drug benznidazole (BNZ) causes liver damage. We previously showed that combining low dose BNZ with a prototype therapeutic vaccine is a dose sparing strategy that effectively reduced T. cruzi induced cardiac damage. However, the impact of this treatment on liver health is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated several markers of liver health after treatment with low dose BNZ plus the vaccine therapy in comparison to a curative dose of BNZ. Methodology Female BALB/c mice were infected with a bioluminescent T. cruzi H1 clone for approximately 70 days, then randomly divided into groups of 15 mice each. Mice were treated with a 25mg/kg BNZ, 25μg Tc24-C4 protein/5μg E6020-SE (Vaccine), 25mg/kg BNZ followed by vaccine, or 100mg/kg BNZ (curative dose). At study endpoints we evaluated hepatomegaly, parasite burden by quantitative PCR, cellular infiltration by histology, and expression of B-cell translocation gene 2(BTG2) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) by RT-PCR. Levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were quantified from serum. Results Curative BNZ treatment significantly reduced hepatomegaly, liver parasite burdens, and the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but significantly elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, and LDH. Low BNZ plus vaccine did not significantly affect hepatomegaly, parasite burdens or the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but only elevated ALT and AST. Low dose BNZ significantly decreased expression of both BTG2 and PPARα, and curative BNZ reduced expression of BTG2 while low BNZ plus vaccine had no impact. Conclusions These data confirm toxicity associated with curative doses of BNZ and suggest that the dose sparing low BNZ plus vaccine treatment better preserves liver health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duc Minh Nguyen
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
- James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Rivadeneira-Barreiro P, Montes-de-Oca-Jiménez R, Zambrano-Rodríguez P, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Gutiérrez-Castillo ADC, Pardo-Marin L, Franco-Martínez L, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S. Acute Phase Proteins in Dogs with Natural Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:299. [PMID: 37368717 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8060299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute phase proteins have been used as tools for the diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of several diseases in domestic animals. However, the dynamics of these proteins in infection by Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in dogs, is still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, ferritin and paraoxonase-1) in dogs in a coastal town of Ecuador, with natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection with or without seroreactivity of Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Borrelia burgdorferi and Dirofilaria immitis. For the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi serum antibodies, two different antigen-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests were implemented. For the detection of seroreactivity of Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Borrelia burgdorferi and Dirofilaria immitis, an IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx® test was used. To determine the concentration of C-reactive protein and ferritin, an immunoturbidimetric assay was used; haptoglobin concentration was measured using a commercial colorimetric method validated in dogs; a spectrophotometric method was used to determine the serum concentration of paraoxonase-1. Results showed a reduction in the serum levels of paraoxonase-1 in Trypanosoma cruzi-seroreactive dogs, either with or without seroreactivity to other vector-borne diseases. A serum ferritin increment was observed in Trypanosoma cruzi-seroreactive dogs with seroreactivity to any other vector-borne diseases. Our findings suggest that paraoxonase-1 levels are reduced in Trypanosoma cruzi-seroreactive dogs without evident clinical signs of Chagas disease, despite their seroreactivity to the other vector-borne diseases studied. These findings could indicate an oxidative stress response in Trypanosoma cruzi-seroreactive dogs with no evident signs of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Rivadeneira-Barreiro
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca 50200, Mexico
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo 130105, Ecuador
| | - Roberto Montes-de-Oca-Jiménez
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca 50200, Mexico
| | - Pablo Zambrano-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo 130105, Ecuador
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca 50200, Mexico
| | - Adriana Del Carmen Gutiérrez-Castillo
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca 50200, Mexico
| | - Luis Pardo-Marin
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Lorena Franco-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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Dumonteil E, Herrera C, Marx PA. Safety and preservation of cardiac function following therapeutic vaccination against Trypanosoma cruzi in rhesus macaques. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2023; 56:400-407. [PMID: 36210315 PMCID: PMC10131272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy is responsible for a large disease burden in the Americas, and a therapeutic vaccine would be highly desirable. We tested the safety and efficacy of a therapeutic DNA vaccine encoding antigens TSA-1 and Tc24 for preventing cardiac alterations in experimentally infected macaques. A secondary objective was to evaluate the feasibility of detecting changes in cardiac alterations in these animals. METHODS Naïve rhesus macaques were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with three doses of DNA vaccines. RESULTS Blood cell counts and chemistry indicated that therapeutic vaccination was safe, as hepatic and renal function appeared unaffected by the vaccination and/or infection with T. cruzi. Electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings indicated that no marked arrhythmias developed up to 7 months post-infection. Univariate analysis of ECG parameters found no significant differences in any of these parameters between vaccinated and control macaques. However, linear discriminant analysis revealed that control macaques presented clear alterations in their ECG patterns at 7 months post-infection, indicative of the onset of conduction defects and cardiac alterations, and these changes were prevented in vaccine treated macaques. CONCLUSIONS This is the first evidence that therapeutic vaccination against T. cruzi can prevent cardiac alterations in non-human primates, strengthening the rationale for developing a human vaccine against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Preston A Marx
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA; Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, LA, USA
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Chagas Heart Disease: Beyond a Single Complication, from Asymptomatic Disease to Heart Failure. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11247262. [PMID: 36555880 PMCID: PMC9784121 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in developing countries. It is estimated that 6 to 7 million people worldwide are infected, and it is predicted that it will be responsible for 200,000 deaths by 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers Chagas disease (CD) as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), which must be acknowledged and detected in time, as it remains a clinical and diagnostic challenge in both endemic and non-endemic regions and at different levels of care. The literature on CC was analyzed by searching different databases (Medline, Cochrane Central, EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO) from 1968 until October 2022. Multicenter and bioinformatics trials, systematic and bibliographic reviews, international guidelines, and clinical cases were included. The reference lists of the included papers were checked. No linguistic restrictions or study designs were applied. This review is intended to address the current incidence and prevalence of CD and to identify the main pathogenic mechanisms, clinical presentation, and diagnosis of CC.
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Camargo EP, Gazzinelli RT, Morel CM, Precioso AR. Why do we still have not a vaccine against Chagas disease? Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e200314. [PMID: 35544856 PMCID: PMC9088429 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This review does not intend to convey detailed experimental or bibliographic data. Instead, it expresses the informal authors' personal views on topics that range from basic research on antigens and experimental models for Trypanosoma cruzi infection to vaccine prospects and vaccine production. The review also includes general aspects of Chagas' disease control and international and national policies on the subject. The authors contributed equally to the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carlos Médicis Morel
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Carmona-Peña SP, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Castro DP, Genta FA, Contreras-Garduño J. Benefits and costs of immune memory in Rhodnius prolixus against Trypanosoma cruzi. Microb Pathog 2022; 165:105505. [PMID: 35341956 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence supporting the immune memory in invertebrates, but the studies are relatively neglected in insect vectors other than mosquitoes. Therefore, we tested two hypotheses: 1) Rhodnius prolixus insects possess immune memory against Trypanosoma cruzi, and 2) their immune memory is costly. The Dm28c and Y strains of T. cruzi were used, the former being more infective than the latter. On the one hand, the triatomines subjected to dual challenges with the Dm28c strain did not show significant differences in survival than those of the heterologous challenge groups control-Dm28c and Y-Dm28c. On the other hand, the insects survived longer after a dual Y-Y challenge than after the corresponding heterologous challenge (control-Y). The Y-Y, Dm28c-Y, and naïve groups showed similar survival. There was more prolonged survival following the Y-Y versus Dm28c-Dm28c dual challenge. The Dm28c-Dm28c group exhibited moulting sooner than the control-Dm28c or naïve group. In contrast, there were no differences in the probability of moulting between the Y-Y and naïve groups. The results suggest that triatomines have immune memory against the Y but not the Dm28c strain. Further investigation on triatomine and T. cruzi interaction is needed to determine if infectivity accelerates or delay growth due to innate immune memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P Carmona-Peña
- Programa de Maestría en Ciencias Agropecuarias y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Mexico
| | - J C Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Programa de Maestría en Ciencias Agropecuarias y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - D P Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - F A Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - J Contreras-Garduño
- ENES, UNAM, Unidad Morelia, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda San José de la Huerta, C.P, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
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Pathogen diversity, immunity, and the fate of infections: lessons learned from Trypanosoma cruzi human–host interactions. THE LANCET MICROBE 2022; 3:e711-e722. [DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(21)00265-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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11
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Carmona-Peña S, Contreras-Garduño J, Castro D, Manjarrez J, Vázquez-Chagoyán J. The innate immune response of triatomines against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli with an unresolved question: Do triatomines have immune memory? Acta Trop 2021; 224:106108. [PMID: 34450058 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The present work aimed to review the immune response from different triatomines against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli and propose the study of immune memory in such insects. Trypanosoma use triatomines as vectors to reach and infect mammals. A key question to be answered about vector-parasite interaction is why the immune defense and resistance of the insect against the parasites vary. Up to date data shows that the defense of triatomines against parasites includes cellular (phagocytosis, nodulation and encapsulation) and humoral (antimicrobial peptides, phenoloxidase and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species) responses. The immune response varies depending on the triatomine species, the trypanosome strain and species, and the insect intestinal microbiota. Despite significant advances to understand parasite-insect interaction, it is still unknown if triatomines have immune memory against parasites and if this memory may derive from tolerance to parasites attack. Therefore, a closer study of such interaction could contribute and establish new proposals to control the parasite at the vector level to reduce parasite transmission to mammals, including men. For instance, if immune memory exists in the triatomines, it would be interesting to induce weak infections in insects to find out if subsequent infections are less intense and if the insects succeed in eliminating the parasites.
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12
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Use of a small molecule integrin activator as a systemically administered vaccine adjuvant in controlling Chagas disease. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:114. [PMID: 34497271 PMCID: PMC8426359 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00378-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of suitable safe adjuvants to enhance appropriate antigen-driven immune responses remains a challenge. Here we describe the adjuvant properties of a small molecule activator of the integrins αLβ2 and α4β1, named 7HP349, which can be safely delivered systemically independent of antigen. 7HP349 directly activates integrin cell adhesion receptors crucial for the generation of an immune response. When delivered systemically in a model of Chagas disease following immunization with a DNA subunit vaccine encoding candidate T. cruzi antigens, TcG2 and TcG4, 7HP349 enhanced the vaccine efficacy in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings. In a prophylactic setting, mice immunized with 7HP349 adjuvanted vaccine exhibited significantly improved control of acute parasite burden in cardiac and skeletal muscle as compared to vaccination alone. When administered with vaccine therapeutically, parasite burden was again decreased, with the greatest adjuvant effect of 7HP349 being noted in skeletal muscle. In both settings, adjuvantation with 7HP349 was effective in decreasing pathological inflammatory infiltrate, improving the integrity of tissue, and controlling tissue fibrosis in the heart and skeletal muscle of acutely and chronically infected Chagas mice. The positive effects correlated with increased splenic frequencies of CD8+T effector cells and an increase in the production of IFN-γ and cytolytic molecules (perforin and granzyme) by the CD4+ and CD8+ effector and central memory subsets in response to challenge infection. This demonstrates that 7HP349 can serve as a systemically administered adjuvant to enhance T cell-mediated immune responses to vaccines. This approach could be applied to numerous vaccines with no reformulation of existing stockpiles.
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Rivadeneira-Barreiro PE, Montes de Oca-Jiménez R, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Martínez-Subiela S, Morán-Loor A, Ochoa-García L, Zambrano-Rodríguez PC, Garg NJ, Varela-Guerrero JA. Trypanosoma cruzi co-infections with other vector borne diseases are frequent in dogs from the pacific coast of Ecuador. Microb Pathog 2021; 155:104884. [PMID: 33864876 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are a reservoir for Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), and other companion vector-borne diseases, including ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia ewingii), anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys), dirofilariasis (Dirofilaria immitis) and Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). This study has two key objectives: 1) to determine seroreactivity against T. cruzi in dogs from the town of Colón, in Portoviejo city, in the central coast of Ecuador; and 2) to establish the coinfection frequency of other companion vector-borne diseases in dogs positive for T. cruzi. Antibodies against T. cruzi were detected using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Diagnostic consensus between ELISA tests was established using the Cohen's Kappa coefficient. Other haemoparasitic diseases were detected using the IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx® kit in dogs previously diagnosed as T. cruzi-seropositive. From 84 dogs sampled, 57.14% (48/84) tested positive for T. cruzi. Co-infection analysis of 25 dogs positive for T. cruzi revealed antibodies also against Ehrlichia spp. (48%), Anaplasma spp. (28%), and Dirofilaria immitis (12%). These results provide a novel perspective regarding the status of these pathogens which co-infect dogs in Colón. Since all these pathogens are zoonotic, our findings should warn regional health authorities to implement sanitary programs, to better prevent and control vectors associated to these pathogens. On the other hand, human and veterinarian doctors, should consider that patients with a cardiac infection condition could be suffering co-infections with two or more vector transmitted pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Eliana Rivadeneira-Barreiro
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México, C.P. 50200, México; Departamento de Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Manabí, Ecuador
| | - Roberto Montes de Oca-Jiménez
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México, C.P. 50200, México.
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México, C.P. 50200, México.
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Laucel Ochoa-García
- Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública del Instituto de Salud del Estado de México, Independencia Oriente #1310 Colonia: Reforma y FFCC, CP. 50070, Toluca, Estado de México, México
| | - Pablo C Zambrano-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Manabí, Ecuador
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555-1070, United States
| | - Jorge Antonio Varela-Guerrero
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México, C.P. 50200, México
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14
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Dumonteil E, Herrera C. The Case for the Development of a Chagas Disease Vaccine: Why? How? When? Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6010016. [PMID: 33530605 PMCID: PMC7851737 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a major neglected tropical disease, transmitted predominantly by triatomine insect vectors, but also through congenital and oral routes. While endemic in the Americas, it has turned into a global disease. Because of the current drug treatment limitations, a vaccine would represent a major advancement for better control of the disease. Here, we review some of the rationale, advances, and challenges for the ongoing development of a vaccine against Chagas disease. Recent pre-clinical studies in murine models have further expanded (i) the range of vaccine platforms and formulations tested; (ii) our understanding of the immune correlates for protection; and (iii) the extent of vaccine effects on cardiac function, beyond survival and parasite burden. We further discuss outstanding issues and opportunities to move Chagas disease development forward in the near future.
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15
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Chowdhury IH, Lokugamage N, Garg NJ. Experimental Nanovaccine Offers Protection Against Repeat Exposures to Trypanosoma cruzi Through Activation of Polyfunctional T Cell Response. Front Immunol 2020; 11:595039. [PMID: 33414785 PMCID: PMC7783422 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.595039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. Previously, we have identified T. cruzi antigens TcG2 and TcG4 as potential vaccine candidates, cloned in eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3.1 (referred as p2/4) and tested their ability to elicit protection from T. cruzi infection. In the present study, we subcloned the two antigens in a nanoplasmid that is optimized for delivery, antigen expression, and regulatory compliance standards, and evaluated the nanovaccine (referred as nano2/4) for prophylactic protection against repeat T. cruzi infections. For this, C57BL/6 mice were immunized with two doses of p2/4 or nano2/4 at 21 days interval, challenged with T. cruzi 21 days after 2nd immunization, and euthanized at 10- and 21-days post-infection (pi) corresponding to parasite dissemination and replication phase, respectively. Some mice were re-challenged 21 days pi and monitored at 7 days after re-infection. Without the help of a vaccine, T. cruzi elicited delayed and sub-par T cell activation and low levels of effector molecules that failed to control tissue dissemination and replication of the parasite and provided no protection against repeat challenge infection. The nano2/4 was most effective in eliciting an early activation and production of IFN-γ by CD4+T effector/effector memory (TEM) cells and cytolytic perforin (PFN) and granzyme B (GZB) molecules by CD4+ and CD8+ TEM subsets at 10 days pi that was followed by robust expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ TEM and TCM cells with further increase in IFN-γ production at 21 days pi. Consequently, nano2/4-immunized mice exhibited potent control of parasite dissemination at 10 days pi, and tissue parasite burden and tissue inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis were barely detectable at 21 days pi. Furthermore, nano2/4-immunized mice responded to re-challenge infection with high levels of effector molecules production by CD4+ and CD8+ TEM subpopulations that offered even better control of tissue parasite burden than was observed after 1st infection. In comparison, non-vaccinated/infected mice exhibited clinical features of sickness and 59% mortality within 7 days after re-infection. In conclusion, we show that delivery of TcG2 and TcG4 in nanoplasmid offers excellent, protective T cell immunity against repeat T. cruzi infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran H Chowdhury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, United States.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, UTMB, Galveston, TX, United States
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16
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Vergni D, Gaudio R, Santoni D. The farther the better: Investigating how distance from human self affects the propensity of a peptide to be presented on cell surface by MHC class I molecules, the case of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243285. [PMID: 33284846 PMCID: PMC7721184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
More than twenty years ago the reverse vaccinology paradigm came to light trying to design new vaccines based on the analysis of genomic information in order to select those pathogen peptides able to trigger an immune response. In this context, focusing on the proteome of Trypanosoma cruzi, we investigated the link between the probabilities for pathogen peptides to be presented on a cell surface and their distance from human self. We found a reasonable but, as far as we know, undiscovered property: the farther the distance between a peptide and the human-self the higher the probability for that peptide to be presented on a cell surface. We also found that the most distant peptides from human self bind, on average, a broader collection of HLAs than expected, implying a potential immunological role in a large portion of individuals. Finally, introducing a novel quantitative indicator for a peptide to measure its potential immunological role, we proposed a pool of peptides that could be potential epitopes and that can be suitable for experimental testing. The software to compute peptide classes according to the distance from human self is free available at http://www.iasi.cnr.it/~dsantoni/nullomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Vergni
- Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo “Mauro Picone” - CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosanna Gaudio
- Department of Biology, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Santoni
- Istituto di Analisi dei Sistemi ed Informatica “Antonio Ruberti” - CNR, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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17
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Rios L, Campos EE, Menon R, Zago MP, Garg NJ. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of maternal-fetal transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi and a case for vaccine development against congenital Chagas disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165591. [PMID: 31678160 PMCID: PMC6954953 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.165591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Trypanos o ma cruzi (T. cruzi or Tc) is the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD). It is common for patients to suffer from non-specific symptoms or be clinically asymptomatic with acute and chronic conditions acquired through various routes of transmission. The expecting women and their fetuses are vulnerable to congenital transmission of Tc. Pregnant women face formidable health challenges because the frontline antiparasitic drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are contraindicated during pregnancy. However, it is worthwhile to highlight that newborns can be cured if they are diagnosed and given treatment in a timely manner. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of maternal-fetal transmission of Tc and provide a justification for the investment in the development of vaccines against congenital CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette Rios
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - E Emanuel Campos
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina.
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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18
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Lokugamage N, Choudhuri S, Davies C, Chowdhury IH, Garg NJ. Antigen-Based Nano-Immunotherapy Controls Parasite Persistence, Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress, and Cardiac Fibrosis, the Hallmarks of Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy, in A Mouse Model of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010096. [PMID: 32098116 PMCID: PMC7157635 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas cardiomyopathy is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc). We identified two candidate antigens (TcG2 and TcG4) that elicit antibodies and T cell responses in naturally infected diverse hosts. In this study, we cloned TcG2 and TcG4 in a nanovector and evaluated whether nano-immunotherapy (referred as nano2/4) offers resistance to chronic Chagas disease. For this, C57BL/6 mice were infected with Tc and given nano2/4 at 21 and 42 days post-infection (pi). Non-infected, infected, and infected mice treated with pcDNA3.1 expression plasmid encoding TcG2/TcG4 (referred as p2/4) were used as controls. All mice responded to Tc infection with expansion and functional activation of splenic lymphocytes. Flow cytometry showed that frequency of splenic, poly-functional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing interferon-γ, perforin, and granzyme B were increased by immunotherapy (Tc.nano2/4 > Tc.p2/4) and associated with 88%–99.7% decline in cardiac and skeletal (SK) tissue levels of parasite burden (Tc.nano2/4 > Tc.p2/4) in Chagas mice. Subsequently, Tc.nano2/4 mice exhibited a significant decline in peripheral and tissues levels of oxidative stress (e.g., 4-hydroxynonenal, protein carbonyls) and inflammatory infiltrate that otherwise were pronounced in Chagas mice. Further, nano2/4 therapy was effective in controlling the tissue infiltration of pro-fibrotic macrophages and established a balanced environment controlling the expression of collagens, metalloproteinases, and other markers of cardiomyopathy and improving the expression of Myh7 (encodes β myosin heavy chain) and Gsk3b (encodes glycogen synthase kinase 3) required for maintaining cardiac contractility in Chagas heart. We conclude that nano2/4 enhances the systemic T cell immunity that improves the host’s ability to control chronic parasite persistence and Chagas cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; (N.L.); (S.C.); (I.H.C.)
| | - Subhadip Choudhuri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; (N.L.); (S.C.); (I.H.C.)
| | - Carolina Davies
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta 4400, Argentina;
| | - Imran Hussain Chowdhury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; (N.L.); (S.C.); (I.H.C.)
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; (N.L.); (S.C.); (I.H.C.)
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, UTMB, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-409-747-6865
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19
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Rios LE, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Pacheco AO, Zago MP, Garg NJ. Immunity and vaccine development efforts against Trypanosoma cruzi. Acta Trop 2019; 200:105168. [PMID: 31513763 PMCID: PMC7409534 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is the causative agent for Chagas disease (CD). There is a critical lack of methods for prevention of infection or treatment of acute infection and chronic disease. Studies in experimental models have suggested that the protective immunity against T. cruzi infection requires the elicitation of Th1 cytokines, lytic antibodies and the concerted activities of macrophages, T helper cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In this review, we summarize the research efforts in vaccine development to date and the challenges faced in achieving an efficient prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine against human CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette E Rios
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Antonio Ortega Pacheco
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
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Michel-Todó L, Reche PA, Bigey P, Pinazo MJ, Gascón J, Alonso-Padilla J. In silico Design of an Epitope-Based Vaccine Ensemble for Chagas Disease. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2698. [PMID: 31824493 PMCID: PMC6882931 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi infection causes Chagas disease, which affects 7 million people worldwide. Two drugs are available to treat it: benznidazole and nifurtimox. Although both are efficacious against the acute stage of the disease, this is usually asymptomatic and goes undiagnosed and untreated. Diagnosis is achieved at the chronic stage, when life-threatening heart and/or gut tissue disruptions occur in ~30% of those chronically infected. By then, the drugs' efficacy is reduced, but not their associated high toxicity. Given current deficiencies in diagnosis and treatment, a vaccine to prevent infection and/or the development of symptoms would be a breakthrough in the management of the disease. Current vaccine candidates are mostly based on the delivery of single antigens or a few different antigens. Nevertheless, due to the high biological complexity of the parasite, targeting as many antigens as possible would be desirable. In this regard, an epitope-based vaccine design could be a well-suited approach. With this aim, we have gone through publicly available databases to identify T. cruzi epitopes from several antigens. By means of a computer-aided strategy, we have prioritized a set of epitopes based on sequence conservation criteria, projected population coverage of Latin American population, and biological features of their antigens of origin. Fruit of this analysis, we provide a selection of CD8+ T cell, CD4+ T cell, and B cell epitopes that have <70% identity to human or human microbiome protein sequences and represent the basis toward the development of an epitope-based vaccine against T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Michel-Todó
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Antonio Reche
- Laboratory of Immunomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pascal Bigey
- Université de Paris, UTCBS, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France.,PSL University, ChimieParisTech, Paris, France
| | - Maria-Jesus Pinazo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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21
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Gupta S, Salgado-Jiménez B, Lokugamage N, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Garg NJ. TcG2/TcG4 DNA Vaccine Induces Th1 Immunity Against Acute Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: Adjuvant and Antigenic Effects of Heterologous T. rangeli Booster Immunization. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1456. [PMID: 31293599 PMCID: PMC6606718 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chagas cardiomyopathy is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc). Two antigenic candidates, TcG2 and TcG4, are recognized by antibodies in naturally infected dogs and humans; and these vaccine candidates provided protection from Tc infection in mice and dogs. Trypanosoma rangeli (Tr) is non-pathogenic to mammals and shown to elicit cross-reactive anti-Tc antibodies. In this study, we investigated if fixed Tr (fTr) can further enhance the efficacy of the TcG2/TcG4 DNA vaccine. Methods and Results: C57BL/6 mice were immunized with TcG2/TcG4 DNA vaccine and fTr (delivered as an adjuvant or in prime-boost approach), and challenged with Tc. Serology studies showed that fTr (±quil-A) elicited Tc- and Tr-reactive IgGs that otherwise were not stimulated by TcG2/TcG4 vaccine only, and quil-A had suppressive effects on fTr-induced IgGs. After challenge infection, TcG2/TcG4-vaccinated mice exhibited potent expansion of antigen- and Tc-specific IgGs that were not boosted by fTr±quil-A. Flow cytometry analysis showed that TcG2/TcG4-induced dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages (Mφ) responded to challenge infection by expression of markers of antigen uptake, processing, and presentation, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. TcG2/TcG4-induced CD4+T cells acquired Th1 phenotype and expressed markers that orchestrate adaptive immunity. A fraction of vaccine-induced CD4+T cells exhibited iTreg phenotype responsible for aversion of self-injurious immune responses. Further, TcG2/TcG4-vaccinated mice exhibited potent expansion of poly-functional CD8+T cells with TNF-α/IFN-γ production and cytolytic phenotype post-infection. Subsequently, tissue parasites and pathology were hardly detectable in TcG2/TcG4-vaccinated/infected mice. Inclusion of fTr±quil-A had no clear additive effects in improving the Tc-specific adaptive immunity and parasite control than was noted in mice vaccinated with TcG2/TcG4 alone. Non-vaccinated mice lacked sufficient activation of Th1 CD4+/CD8+T cells, and exhibited >10-fold higher levels of tissue parasite burden than was noted in vaccinated/infected mice. Conclusion:TcG2/TcG4 vaccine elicits highly effective immunity, and inclusion of fTr is not required to improve the efficacy of DNA vaccine against acute Tc infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Berenice Salgado-Jiménez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
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22
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Hegazy-Hassan W, Zepeda-Escobar JA, Ochoa-García L, Contreras-Ortíz JME, Tenorio-Borroto E, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Aparicio-Burgos JE, Oros-Pantoja R, Rivas-Santiago B, Díaz-Albiter H, Garg NJ, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC. TcVac1 vaccine delivery by intradermal electroporation enhances vaccine induced immune protection against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Vaccine 2018; 37:248-257. [PMID: 30497833 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The efforts for the development and testing of vaccines against Trypanosoma cruzi infection have increased during the past years. We have designed a TcVac series of vaccines composed of T. cruzi derived, GPI-anchored membrane antigens. The TcVac vaccines have been shown to elicit humoral and cellular mediated immune responses and provide significant (but not complete) control of experimental infection in mice and dogs. Herein, we aimed to test two immunization protocols for the delivery of DNA-prime/DNA-boost vaccine (TcVac1) composed of TcG2 and TcG4 antigens in a BALB/c mouse model. Mice were immunized with TcVac1 through intradermal/electroporation (IDE) or intramuscular (IM) routes, challenged with T. cruzi, and evaluated during acute phase of infection. The humoral immune response was evaluated through the assessment of anti-TcG2 and anti-TcG4 IgG subtypes by using an ELISA. Cellular immune response was assessed through a lymphocyte proliferation assay. Finally, clinical and morphopathological aspects were evaluated for all experimental animals. Our results demonstrated that when comparing TcVac1 IDE delivery vs IM delivery, the former induced significantly higher level of antigen-specific antibody response (IgG2a + IgG2b > IgG1) and lymphocyte proliferation, which expanded in response to challenge infection. Histological evaluation after challenge infection showed infiltration of inflammatory cells (macrophages and lymphocytes) in the heart and skeletal tissue of all infected mice. However, the largest increase in inflammatory infiltrate was observed in TcVac1_IDE/Tc mice when compared with TcVac1_IM/Tc or non-vaccinated/infected mice. The extent of tissue inflammatory infiltrate was directly associated with the control of tissue amastigote nests in vaccinated/infected (vs. non-vaccinated/infected) mice. Our results suggest that IDE delivery improves the protective efficacy of TcVac1 vaccine against T. cruzi infection in mice when compared with IM delivery of the vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Hegazy-Hassan
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico
| | - José Antonio Zepeda-Escobar
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico
| | - Laucel Ochoa-García
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico; Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública del Instituto de Salud del Estado de México, Independencia Oriente #1310 Colonia: Reforma y FFCC, CP. 50070 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - J M Eloy Contreras-Ortíz
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico
| | - Esvieta Tenorio-Borroto
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico
| | - Alberto Barbabosa-Pliego
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico
| | - José Esteban Aparicio-Burgos
- Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Escuela Superior de Apan, Carretera Apan-Calpulalpan, Km. 8, Chimalpa Tlalayote S/N, Colonia Chimalpa, Apan, C.P. 43920 Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Rigoberto Oros-Pantoja
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Departamento de Neurociencias, Tollocan esq. Jesus Carranza S/N, Colonia Moderna de la Cruz, C.P. 50180 Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Bruno Rivas-Santiago
- Unidad de Investigación Médica Zacatecas-IMSS, Interior de la Alameda, 45, Centro, C.P. 98000 Zacatecas, Mexico
| | - Héctor Díaz-Albiter
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, United Kingdom; El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Villahermosa-Reforma Km 15.5, Ranchería Guineo, sección II, CP 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, United States; Departments of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, United States
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 15.5 Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50200, Mexico.
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Genetic Adjuvantation of a Cell-Based Therapeutic Vaccine for Amelioration of Chagasic Cardiomyopathy. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00127-17. [PMID: 28674032 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00127-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a leading cause of heart disease ("chagasic cardiomyopathy") in Latin America, disproportionately affecting people in resource-poor areas. The efficacy of currently approved pharmaceutical treatments is limited mainly to acute infection, and there are no effective treatments for the chronic phase of the disease. Preclinical models of Chagas disease have demonstrated that antigen-specific CD8+ gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-positive T-cell responses are essential for reducing parasite burdens, increasing survival, and decreasing cardiac pathology in both the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease. In the present study, we developed a genetically adjuvanted, dendritic cell-based immunotherapeutic for acute Chagas disease in an attempt to delay or prevent the cardiac complications that eventually result from chronic T. cruzi infection. Dendritic cells transduced with the adjuvant, an adenoviral vector encoding a dominant negative isoform of Src homology region 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) along with the T. cruzi Tc24 antigen and trans-sialidase antigen 1 (TSA1), induced significant numbers of antigen-specific CD8+ IFN-γ-positive cells following injection into BALB/c mice. A vaccine platform transduced with the adenoviral vector and loaded in tandem with the recombinant protein reduced parasite burdens by 76% to >99% in comparison to a variety of different controls and significantly reduced cardiac pathology in a BALB/c mouse model of live Chagas disease. Although no statistical differences in overall survival rates among cohorts were observed, the data suggest that immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of acute Chagas disease are feasible and that this approach may warrant further study.
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24
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Enriquez GF, Garbossa G, Macchiaverna NP, Argibay HD, Bua J, Gürtler RE, Cardinal MV. Is the infectiousness of dogs naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi associated with poly-parasitism? Vet Parasitol 2016; 223:186-94. [PMID: 27198799 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Interactions among different species of parasites co-infecting the same host could be synergistic or antagonistic. These interactions may modify both the frequency of infected hosts and their infectiousness, and therefore impact on transmission dynamics. This study determined the infectiousness of Trypanosoma cruzi-seropositive dogs (using xenodiagnosis) and their parasite load (quantified by qPCR), and tested the association between both variables and the presence of concomitant endoparasites. A cross-sectional serosurvey conducted in eight rural villages from Pampa del Indio and neighboring municipalities (northeastern Argentina) detected 32 T. cruzi-seropositive dogs out of 217 individuals examined for infection. Both the infectiousness to the vector Triatoma infestans and parasite load of T. cruzi-seropositive dogs examined were heterogeneous. A statistically significant, nine-fold higher mean infectiousness was registered in T. cruzi-seropositive dogs co-infected with Ancylostoma caninum and a trematode than in T. cruzi-seropositive dogs without these infections. The median parasite load of T. cruzi was also significantly higher in dogs co-infected with these helminths. An opposite trend was observed in T. cruzi-seropositive dogs that were serologically positive to Toxoplasma gondii or Neospora caninum relative to dogs seronegative for these parasites. Using multiple logistic regression analysis with random effects, we found a positive and significant association between the infectiousness of T. cruzi-seropositive dogs and co-infections with A. caninum and a trematode. Our results suggest that co-infections may be a modifier of host infectiousness in dogs naturally infected with T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- G F Enriquez
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - G Garbossa
- Laboratory of Clinical and Environmental Parasitology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, (IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA), Public Health Research Institute, Argentina
| | - N P Macchiaverna
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - H D Argibay
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - J Bua
- National Institute of Parasitology Dr. M. Fatala Chaben, National Administration of Laboratories and Institutes of Health Dr. C.G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - R E Gürtler
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - M V Cardinal
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Argentina.
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25
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Basso B, Marini V, Gauna D, Frias M. Vaccination of dogs with Trypanosoma rangeli induces antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi in a rural area of Córdoba, Argentina. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2016; 111:271-4. [PMID: 27074257 PMCID: PMC4830117 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760160019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs play a major role in the domestic cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, acting as reservoirs. In a previous work we have developed a model of vaccination of dogs in captivity with nonpathogenic Trypanosoma rangeli epimastigotes, resulting in the production of protective antibodies against T. cruzi, with dramatic decrease of parasitaemia upon challenge with 100,000 virulent forms of this parasite. The aim of this work was to evaluate the immunogenicity of this vaccine in dogs living in a rural area. Domestic dogs, free from T. cruzi infection, received three immunisations with fixed T. rangeli epimastigotes. Dogs were not challenged with T. cruzi, but they were left in their environment. This immunisation induced antibodies against T. cruzi for more than three years in dogs in their natural habitat, while control dogs remained serologically negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Basso
- School of Medicine, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | | | - Maria Frias
- School of Medicine, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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26
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Tanowitz HB, Machado FS, Spray DC, Friedman JM, Weiss OS, Lora JN, Nagajyothi J, Moraes DN, Garg NJ, Nunes MCP, Ribeiro ALP. Developments in the management of Chagas cardiomyopathy. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2015; 13:1393-409. [PMID: 26496376 DOI: 10.1586/14779072.2015.1103648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Over 100 years have elapsed since the discovery of Chagas disease and there is still much to learn regarding pathogenesis and treatment. Although there are antiparasitic drugs available, such as benznidazole and nifurtimox, they are not totally reliable and often toxic. A recently released negative clinical trial with benznidazole in patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy further reinforces the concerns regarding its effectiveness. New drugs and new delivery systems, including those based on nanotechnology, are being sought. Although vaccine development is still in its infancy, the reality of a therapeutic vaccine remains a challenge. New ECG methods may help to recognize patients prone to developing malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The management of heart failure, stroke and arrhythmias also remains a challenge. Although animal experiments have suggested that stem cell based therapy may be therapeutic in the management of heart failure in Chagas cardiomyopathy, clinical trials have not been promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert B Tanowitz
- a Department of Pathology , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA.,b Department of Medicine , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA
| | - Fabiana S Machado
- c Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil.,d Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - David C Spray
- b Department of Medicine , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA.,e Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA
| | - Joel M Friedman
- f Department of Physiology & Biophysics , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA
| | - Oren S Weiss
- a Department of Pathology , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA
| | - Jose N Lora
- a Department of Pathology , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA
| | - Jyothi Nagajyothi
- g Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School , Rutgers University , Newark , NJ , USA
| | - Diego N Moraes
- d Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil.,h Department of Internal Medicine and University Hospital , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- i Department of Microbiology & Immunology and Institute for Human Infections and Immunity , University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston , TX , USA
| | - Maria Carmo P Nunes
- d Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil.,h Department of Internal Medicine and University Hospital , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - Antonio Luiz P Ribeiro
- d Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil.,h Department of Internal Medicine and University Hospital , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
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27
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Martinez-Campos V, Martinez-Vega P, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Rosado-Vallado M, Seid CA, Hudspeth EM, Wei J, Liu Z, Kwityn C, Hammond M, Ortega-López J, Zhan B, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Dumonteil E. Expression, purification, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of a recombinant Tc24 antigen as a vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Vaccine 2015; 33:4505-12. [PMID: 26192358 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The Tc24 calcium binding protein from the flagellar pocket of Trypanosoma cruzi is under evaluation as a candidate vaccine antigen against Chagas disease. Previously, a DNA vaccine encoding Tc24 was shown to be an effective vaccine (both as a preventive and therapeutic intervention) in mice and dogs, as evidenced by reductions in T. cruzi parasitemia and cardiac amastigotes, as well as reduced cardiac inflammation and increased host survival. Here we developed a suitable platform for the large scale production of recombinant Tc24 (rTc24) and show that when rTc24 is combined with a monophosphoryl-lipid A (MPLA) adjuvant, the formulated vaccine induces a Th1-biased immune response in mice, comprised of elevated IgG2a antibody levels and interferon-gamma levels from splenocytes, compared to controls. These immune responses also resulted in statistically significant decreased T. cruzi parasitemia and cardiac amastigotes, as well as increased survival following T. cruzi challenge infections, compared to controls. Partial protective efficacy was shown regardless of whether the antigen was expressed in Escherichia coli or in yeast (Pichia pastoris). While mouse vaccinations will require further modifications in order to optimize protective efficacy, such studies provide a basis for further evaluations of vaccines comprised of rTc24, together with alternative adjuvants and additional recombinant antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Martinez-Campos
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Pedro Martinez-Vega
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Christopher A Seid
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Elissa M Hudspeth
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Junfei Wei
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhuyun Liu
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cliff Kwityn
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Molly Hammond
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jaime Ortega-López
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508 Col., San Pedro Zacatenco 07360, Mexico D.F., Mexico
| | - Bin Zhan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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28
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Gupta S, Smith C, Auclair S, Delgadillo ADJ, Garg NJ. Therapeutic Efficacy of a Subunit Vaccine in Controlling Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi Infection and Chagas Disease Is Enhanced by Glutathione Peroxidase Over-Expression. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130562. [PMID: 26075398 PMCID: PMC4468200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi-induced oxidative and inflammatory responses are implicated in chagasic cardiomyopathy. In this study, we examined the therapeutic utility of a subunit vaccine against T. cruzi and determined if glutathione peroxidase (GPx1, antioxidant) protects the heart from chagasic pathogenesis. C57BL/6 mice (wild-type (WT) and GPx1 transgenic (GPxtg) were infected with T. cruzi and at 45 days post-infection (dpi), immunized with TcG2/TcG4 vaccine delivered by a DNA-prime/Protein-boost (D/P) approach. The plasma and tissue-sections were analyzed on 150 dpi for parasite burden, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis. WT mice infected with T. cruzi had significantly more blood and tissue parasite burden compared with infected/GPxtg mice (n = 5-8, p<0.01). Therapeutic vaccination provided >15-fold reduction in blood and tissue parasites in both WT and GPxtg mice. The increase in plasma levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO, 24.7%) and nitrite (iNOS activity, 45%) was associated with myocardial increase in oxidant levels (3-4-fold) and non-responsive antioxidant status in chagasic/WT mice; and these responses were not controlled after vaccination (n = 5-7). The GPxtg mice were better equipped than the WT mice in controlling T. cruzi-induced inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Extensive myocardial and skeletal tissue inflammation noted in chagasic/WT mice, was significantly more compared with chagasic/GPxtg mice (n = 4-6, p<0.05). Vaccination was equally effective in reducing the chronic inflammatory infiltrate in the heart and skeletal tissue of infected WT and GPxtg mice (n = 6, p<0.05). Hypertrophy (increased BNP and ANP mRNA) and fibrosis (increased collagen) of the heart were extensively present in chronically-infected WT and GPxtg mice and notably decreased after therapeutic vaccination. We conclude the therapeutic delivery of D/P vaccine was effective in arresting the chronic parasite persistence and chagasic pathology; and GPx1 over-expression provided additive benefits in reducing the parasite burden, inflammatory/oxidative stress and cardiac remodeling in Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SG); (NG)
| | - Charity Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sarah Auclair
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Anahi De Jesus Delgadillo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SG); (NG)
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Gupta S, Garg NJ. A Two-Component DNA-Prime/Protein-Boost Vaccination Strategy for Eliciting Long-Term, Protective T Cell Immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004828. [PMID: 25951312 PMCID: PMC4423834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the long-term efficacy of a two-component subunit vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with TcG2/TcG4 vaccine delivered by a DNA-prime/Protein-boost (D/P) approach and challenged with T. cruzi at 120 or 180 days post-vaccination (dpv). We examined whether vaccine-primed T cell immunity was capable of rapid expansion and intercepting the infecting T. cruzi. Our data showed that D/P vaccine elicited CD4+ (30-38%) and CD8+ (22-42%) T cells maintained an effector phenotype up to 180 dpv, and were capable of responding to antigenic stimulus or challenge infection by a rapid expansion (CD8>CD4) with type 1 cytokine (IFNγ+ and TFNα+) production and cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity. Subsequently, challenge infection at 120 or 180 dpv, resulted in 2-3-fold lower parasite burden in vaccinated mice than was noted in unvaccinated/infected mice. Co-delivery of IL-12- and GMCSF-encoding expression plasmids provided no significant benefits in enhancing the anti-parasite efficacy of the vaccine-induced T cell immunity. Booster immunization (bi) with recombinant TcG2/TcG4 proteins 3-months after primary vaccine enhanced the protective efficacy, evidenced by an enhanced expansion (1.2-2.8-fold increase) of parasite-specific, type 1 CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and a potent CTL response capable of providing significantly improved (3-4.5-fold) control of infecting T. cruzi. Further, CD8+T cells in vaccinated/bi mice were predominantly of central memory phenotype, and capable of responding to challenge infection 4-6-months post bi by a rapid expansion to a poly-functional effector phenotype, and providing a 1.5-2.3-fold reduction in tissue parasite replication. We conclude that the TcG2/TcG4 D/P vaccine provided long-term anti-T. cruzi T cell immunity, and bi would be an effective strategy to maintain or enhance the vaccine-induced protective immunity against T. cruzi infection and Chagas disease. Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection, represents the third greatest tropical disease burden in the world. No vaccine or suitable treatment is available for control of this infection. Based upon several studies we have conducted, we believe that TcG2 and TcG4 candidate antigens that are highly conserved in T. cruzi, expressed in clinically relevant forms of the parasite, and recognized by both B and T cell responses in multiple hosts, are an excellent choice for subunit vaccine development. In this study, we demonstrate that the delivery of TcG2 and TcG4 as a DNA-prime/protein-boost vaccine provided long-term protection from challenge infection, and this protection was associated with elicitation of long-lived CD8+ effector T cells. The longevity and efficacy of vaccine could be enhanced by booster immunization. We believe that this is the first report demonstrating a) a subunit vaccine can be useful in achieving long-term protection against T. cruzi infection and Chagas disease, and b) the effector T cells can be long-lived and play a role in vaccine elicited protection from parasitic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SG); (NJG)
| | - Nisha J. Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SG); (NJG)
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Aparicio-Burgos JE, Zepeda-Escobar JA, de Oca-Jimenez RM, Estrada-Franco JG, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Ochoa-García L, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Rivas N, Peñuelas-Rivas G, Val-Arreola M, Gupta S, Salazar-García F, Garg NJ, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC. Immune protection against Trypanosoma cruzi induced by TcVac4 in a canine model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003625. [PMID: 25853654 PMCID: PMC4390229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in southern parts of the American continent. Herein, we have tested the protective efficacy of a DNA-prime/T. rangeli-boost (TcVac4) vaccine in a dog (Canis familiaris) model. Dogs were immunized with two-doses of DNA vaccine (pcDNA3.1 encoding TcG1, TcG2, and TcG4 antigens plus IL-12- and GM-CSF-encoding plasmids) followed by two doses of glutaraldehyde-inactivated T. rangeli epimastigotes (TrIE); and challenged with highly pathogenic T. cruzi (SylvioX10/4) isolate. Dogs given TrIE or empty pcDNA3.1 were used as controls. We monitored post-vaccination and post-challenge infection antibody response by an ELISA, parasitemia by blood analysis and xenodiagnosis, and heart function by electrocardiography. Post-mortem anatomic and pathologic evaluation of the heart was conducted. TcVac4 induced a strong IgG response (IgG2>IgG1) that was significantly expanded post-infection, and moved to a nearly balanced IgG2/IgG1 response in chronic phase. In comparison, dogs given TrIE or empty plasmid DNA only developed high IgG titers with IgG2 predominance in response to T. cruzi infection. Blood parasitemia, tissue parasite foci, parasite transmission to triatomines, electrocardiographic abnormalities were significantly lower in TcVac4-vaccinated dogs than was observed in dogs given TrIE or empty plasmid DNA only. Macroscopic and microscopic alterations, the hallmarks of chronic Chagas disease, were significantly decreased in the myocardium of TcVac4-vaccinated dogs. We conclude that TcVac4 induced immunity was beneficial in providing resistance to T. cruzi infection, evidenced by control of chronic pathology of the heart and preservation of cardiac function in dogs. Additionally, TcVac4 vaccination decreased the transmission of parasites from vaccinated/infected animals to triatomines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José A. Zepeda-Escobar
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Roberto Montes de Oca-Jimenez
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - José G. Estrada-Franco
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Alberto Barbabosa-Pliego
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Laucel Ochoa-García
- Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública del Instituto Salud del Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Ricardo Alejandre-Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México City, México
| | - Nancy Rivas
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México City, México
| | - Giovanna Peñuelas-Rivas
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Margarita Val-Arreola
- Hospital General de Zona No. 2, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Irapuato, México
| | - Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Felix Salazar-García
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Nisha J. Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, and Faculty of the Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Juan C. Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, México
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Arce-Fonseca M, Rios-Castro M, Carrillo-Sánchez SDC, Martínez-Cruz M, Rodríguez-Morales O. Prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccines against Chagas disease. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:121. [PMID: 25885641 PMCID: PMC4343048 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0738-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in which the most affected organ is the heart. Conventional chemotherapy has a very low effectiveness; despite recent efforts, there is currently no better or more effective treatment available. DNA vaccines provide a new alternative for both prevention and treatment of a variety of infectious disorders, including Chagas disease. Recombinant DNA technology has allowed some vaccines to be developed using recombinant proteins or virus-like particles capable of inducing both a humoral and cellular specific immune response. This type of immunization has been successfully used in preclinical studies and there are diverse models for viral, bacterial and/or parasitic diseases, allergies, tumors and other diseases. Therefore, several research groups have been given the task of designing a DNA vaccine against experimental infection with T. cruzi. In this review we explain what DNA vaccines are and the most recent studies that have been done to develop them with prophylactic or therapeutic purposes against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva Arce-Fonseca
- Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Martha Rios-Castro
- Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Silvia del Carmen Carrillo-Sánchez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Mariana Martínez-Cruz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Teh-Poot C, Tzec-Arjona E, Martínez-Vega P, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Rosado-Vallado M, Dumonteil E. From genome screening to creation of vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi by use of immunoinformatics. J Infect Dis 2014; 211:258-66. [PMID: 25070943 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and activation of CD8(+) T cells is crucial for a protective immune response. Therefore, the identification of antigens with major histocompatibility complex class I epitopes is a crucial step for vaccine development against T. cruzi. Our aim was to identify novel antigens and epitopes by immunoinformatics analysis of the parasite proteome (12 969 proteins) and to validate their immunotherapeutic potential in infected mice. We identified 172 predicted epitopes, using NetMHC and RANKPEP. The corresponding protein sequences were reanalyzed to generate a consensus prediction, and 26 epitopes were selected for in vivo validation. The interferon γ (IFN-γ) recall response of splenocytes from T. cruzi-infected mice confirmed that 10 of 26 epitopes (38%) induced IFN-γ production. The immunotherapeutic potential of a mixture of all 10 peptides was evaluated in infected mice. The therapeutic vaccine was able to control T. cruzi infection, as evidenced by reduced parasitemia, cardiac tissue inflammation, and parasite burden and increased survival. These findings illustrate the benefits of this approach for the rapid development of a vaccine against pathogens with large genomes. The identified peptides and the proteins from which they are derived are excellent candidates for the development of a vaccine against T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Teh-Poot
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Evelyn Tzec-Arjona
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Pedro Martínez-Vega
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
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Hartley AN, Cooley G, Gwyn S, Orozco MM, Tarleton RL. Frequency of IFNγ-producing T cells correlates with seroreactivity and activated T cells during canine Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Vet Res 2014; 45:6. [PMID: 24456537 PMCID: PMC3907784 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-45-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines to prevent Trypanosoma cruzi infection in humans or animals are not available, and in many settings, dogs are an important source of domestic infection for the insect vector. Identification of infected canines is crucial for evaluating peridomestic transmission dynamics and parasite control strategies. As immune control of T. cruzi infection is dependent on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, we aimed to define a serodiagnostic assay and T cell phenotypic markers for identifying infected dogs and studying the canine T. cruzi-specific immune response. Plasma samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from forty-two dogs living in a T. cruzi-endemic region. Twenty dogs were known to be seropositive and nine seronegative by conventional serologic tests two years prior to our study. To determine canine seroreactivity, we tested sera or plasma samples in a multiplex bead array against eleven recombinant T. cruzi proteins. Ninety-four percent (17/18) of dogs positive by multiplex serology were initially positive by conventional serology. The frequency of IFNγ-producing cells in PBMCs responding to T. cruzi correlated to serological status, identifying 95% of multiplex seropositive dogs. Intracellular staining identified CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations as the sources of T. cruzi lysate-induced IFNγ. Low expression of CCR7 and CD62L on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells suggested a predominance of effector/effector memory T cells in seropositive canines. These results are the first, to our knowledge, to correlate T. cruzi-specific antibody responses with T cell responses in naturally infected dogs and validate these methods for identifying dogs exposed to T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rick L Tarleton
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Carrillo-Sánchez SC, García-Mendoza H, Aranda-Fraustro A, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Rosales-Encina JL, Vallejo M, Arce-Fonseca M. Effect of the plasmid-DNA vaccination on macroscopic and microscopic damage caused by the experimental chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the canine model. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:826570. [PMID: 24163822 PMCID: PMC3791577 DOI: 10.1155/2013/826570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The dog is considered the main domestic reservoir for Trypanosoma cruzi infection and a suitable experimental animal model to study the pathological changes during the course of Chagas disease (CD). Vaccine development is one of CD prevention methods to protect people at risk. Two plasmids containing genes encoding a trans-sialidase protein (TcSP) and an amastigote-specific glycoprotein (TcSSP4) were used as DNA vaccines in a canine model. Splenomegaly was not found in either of the recombinant plasmid-immunized groups; however, cardiomegaly was absent in animals immunized only with the plasmid containing the TcSSP4 gene. The inflammation of subendocardial and myocardial tissues was prevented only with the immunization with TcSSP4 gene. In conclusion, the vaccination with these genes has a partial protective effect on the enlargement of splenic and cardiac tissues during the chronic CD and on microscopic hearth damage, since both plasmids prevented splenomegaly but only one avoided cardiomegaly, and the lesions in heart tissue of dog immunized with plasmid containing the TcSSP4 gene covered only subepicardial tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Silvia C. Carrillo-Sánchez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Humberto García-Mendoza
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Alberto Aranda-Fraustro
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Martha A. Ballinas-Verdugo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Alejandre-Aguilar
- Department of Parasitology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del I.P.N., Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala, Col. Sto. Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, 11340 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - José Luis Rosales-Encina
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional No. 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, 07360 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Maite Vallejo
- Department of Sociomedical Research, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Minerva Arce-Fonseca
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
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Carabarin-Lima A, González-Vázquez MC, Rodríguez-Morales O, Baylón-Pacheco L, Rosales-Encina JL, Reyes-López PA, Arce-Fonseca M. Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in Mexico: an update. Acta Trop 2013; 127:126-35. [PMID: 23643518 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated organism that is transmitted mainly to humans through the infected feces of triatomine kissing bugs (vector transmission in endemic areas) or by transfusion of infected blood, donations of infected organ, or transmission from an infected mother to her child at birth. Chagas disease was first described in 1909 by the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, and due to the parasite's distribution throughout North, Central and South America, the disease is commonly known as American trypanosomiasis. However, this disease is now present in non-endemic countries such as Canada, the United States of America, and several countries in Europe (principally Spain). Moreover, Chagas disease was recently designated by the World Health Organization as one of the main neglected tropical diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the research efforts recently described in studies conducted in Mexico on Chagas disease. In this country, there are no existing vector control programs. In addition, there is no consensus on the diagnostic methods for acute and chronic Chagas disease in maternity wards and blood banks, and trypanocidal therapy is not administered to chronic patients. The actual prevalence of the disease is unknown because no official reporting of cases is performed. Therefore, the number of people infected by different routes of transmission (vector, congenital, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, or oral) is unknown. We believe that by promoting education about Chagas disease in schools starting at the basic elementary level and including reinforcement at higher education levels will ensure that the Mexican population would be aware of this health problem and that the control measures adopted will have more acceptance and success. We hope that this review sensitizes the relevant authorities and that the appropriate measures to reduce the risk of infection by T. cruzi are undertaken to provide the Mexican people a better quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Carabarin-Lima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
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36
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Quijano-Hernández IA, Castro-Barcena A, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Bolio-González ME, Ortega-López J, Dumonteil E. Preventive and therapeutic DNA vaccination partially protect dogs against an infectious challenge with Trypanosoma cruzi. Vaccine 2013; 31:2246-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Gupta S, Garg NJ. TcVac3 induced control of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and chronic myocarditis in mice. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59434. [PMID: 23555672 PMCID: PMC3608676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We characterized the immune responses elicited by a DNA-prime/MVA-boost vaccine (TcVac3) constituted of antigenic candidates (TcG2 and TcG4), shown to be recognized by B and T cell responses in Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) infected multiple hosts. C57BL/6 mice immunized with TcVac3 elicited a strong antigen-specific, high-avidity, trypanolytic antibody response (IgG2b>IgG1); and a robust antigen- and Tc-specific CD8+T cell response with type-1 cytokine (IFN-γ+TNF-α>IL-4+IL-10) and cytolytic effector (CD8+CD107a+IFN-γ+Perforin+) phenotype. The vaccine-induced effector T cells significantly expanded upon challenge infection and provided >92% control of T. cruzi. Co-delivery of IL-12 and GMCSF cytokine adjuvants didn’t enhance the TcVac3-induced resistance to T. cruzi. In chronic phase, vaccinated/infected mice exhibited a significant decline (up to 70%) in IFN-γ+CD8+T cells, a predominance of immunoregulatory IL-10+/CD4+T and IL10+/CD8+T cells, and presented undetectable tissue parasitism, inflammatory infiltrate, and fibrosis in vaccinated/infected mice. In comparison, control mice responded to challenge infection by a low antibody response, mixed cytokine profile, and consistent activation of pro-inflammatory CD8+T cells associated with parasite persistence and pathologic damage in the heart. We conclude that TcVac3 elicited type-1 effector T cell immunity that effectively controlled T. cruzi infection, and subsequently, predominance of anti-inflammatory responses prevented chronic inflammation and myocarditis in chagasic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Faculty of the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Center for Tropical Diseases, and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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38
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Arce-Fonseca M, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Zenteno ERA, Suárez-Flores D, Carrillo-Sánchez SC, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Rosales-Encina JL, Reyes PA, Rodríguez-Morales O. Specific humoral and cellular immunity induced by Trypanosoma cruzi DNA immunization in a canine model. Vet Res 2013; 44:15. [PMID: 23497041 PMCID: PMC3601012 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease has a high incidence in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Because one of the most important known methods of prevention is vector control, which has been effective only in certain areas of South America, the development of a vaccine to protect people at risk has been proposed. In this study, we assessed the cellular and humoral immune response generated following immunization with pBCSP and pBCSSP4 plasmids containing the genes encoding a trans-sialidase protein (present in all three forms of T. cruzi) and an amastigote specific glycoprotein, respectively, in a canine model. Thirty-five beagle dogs were divided randomly into 5 groups (n = 7) and were immunized twice intramuscularly with 500 μg of pBCSSP4, pBCSP, pBk-CMV (empty plasmid) or saline solution. Fifteen days after the last immunization the 4 groups were infected intraperitoneally with 500 000 metacyclic trypomastigotes. The fifth group was unimmunized/infected. The parasitaemia in the immunized/infected dogs was for a shorter period (14 vs. 29 days) and the parasite load was lower. The concentration of IgG1 (0.612 ± 0.019 O.D.) and IgG2 (1.167 ± 0.097 O.D.) subclasses was measured (absorbance) 15 days after the last immunization with both recombinant plasmids, the majority of which were IgG2. The treatment of parasites using the serum from dogs immunized with pBCSP and pBCSSP4 plasmids produced 54% (± 11.8) and 68% (± 21.4) complement-mediated lysis, respectively. At 12 h post immunization, an increase in cytokines was not observed; however, vaccination with pBCSSP4 significantly increased the levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 at 9 months post-infection. The recombinant plasmid immunization stimulated the spleen cell proliferation showing a positive stimulatory index above 2.0. In conclusion, immunization using both genes effectively induces a humoral and cellular immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva Arce-Fonseca
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No, 1, Col, Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City, CP 14080, Mexico.
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Gupta S, Wan X, Zago MP, Sellers VCM, Silva TS, Assiah D, Dhiman M, Nuñez S, Petersen JR, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Estrada-Franco JG, Garg NJ. Antigenicity and diagnostic potential of vaccine candidates in human Chagas disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2018. [PMID: 23350012 PMCID: PMC3547861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Latin America and an emerging infectious disease in the US and Europe. We have shown TcG1, TcG2, and TcG4 antigens elicit protective immunity to T. cruzi in mice and dogs. Herein, we investigated antigenicity of the recombinant proteins in humans to determine their potential utility for the development of next generation diagnostics for screening of T. cruzi infection and Chagas disease. Methods and Results Sera samples from inhabitants of the endemic areas of Argentina-Bolivia and Mexico-Guatemala were analyzed in 1st-phase for anti-T. cruzi antibody response by traditional serology tests; and in 2nd-phase for antibody response to the recombinant antigens (individually or mixed) by an ELISA. We noted similar antibody response to candidate antigens in sera samples from inhabitants of Argentina and Mexico (n = 175). The IgG antibodies to TcG1, TcG2, and TcG4 (individually) and TcGmix were present in 62–71%, 65–78% and 72–82%, and 89–93% of the subjects, respectively, identified to be seropositive by traditional serology. Recombinant TcG1- (93.6%), TcG2- (96%), TcG4- (94.6%) and TcGmix- (98%) based ELISA exhibited significantly higher specificity compared to that noted for T. cruzi trypomastigote-based ELISA (77.8%) in diagnosing T. cruzi-infection and avoiding cross-reactivity to Leishmania spp. No significant correlation was noted in the sera levels of antibody response and clinical severity of Chagas disease in seropositive subjects. Conclusions Three candidate antigens were recognized by antibody response in chagasic patients from two distinct study sites and expressed in diverse strains of the circulating parasites. A multiplex ELISA detecting antibody response to three antigens was highly sensitive and specific in diagnosing T. cruzi infection in humans, suggesting that a diagnostic kit based on TcG1, TcG2 and TcG4 recombinant proteins will be useful in diverse situations. Chagas disease is the most common cause of congestive heart failure related deaths among young adults in the endemic areas of South and Central America and Mexico. Diagnosis and treatment of T. cruzi infection has remained difficult and challenging after 100 years of its identification. In >95% of human cases, T. cruzi infection remains undiagnosed until several years later when chronic evolution of progressive disease results in clinical symptoms associated with cardiac damage. Diagnosis generally depends on the measurement of T. cruzi–specific antibodies that can result in false positives. A conclusive diagnosis of T. cruzi infection thus often requires multiple serological tests, in combination with epidemiological data and clinical symptoms. In this study, we investigated the antibody response to TcG1, TcG2, and TcG4 in clinically characterized chagasic patients. These antigens were identified as vaccine candidates and shown to elicit protective immunity to T. cruzi and Chagas disease in experimental animals. Our data show the serology test developed using the TcGmix (multiplex ELISA) is a significantly better alternative to epimastigote extracts currently used in T. cruzi serodiagnosis or the trypomastigote lysate used in this study for comparison purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Pérez-Leyva MM, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Carrillo-Sánchez SC, Rosales-Encina JL, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Reyes PA, Arce-Fonseca M. Plasmid DNA immunization with Trypanosoma cruzi genes induces cardiac and clinical protection against Chagas disease in the canine model. Vet Res 2012; 43:79. [PMID: 23148870 PMCID: PMC3505182 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-43-79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The only existing preventive measure against American trypanosomosis, or Chagas disease, is the control of the transmitting insect, which has only been effective in a few South American regions. Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent this disease. Here, we present the clinical and cardiac levels of protection induced by expression to Trypanosoma cruzi genes encoding the TcSP and TcSSP4 proteins in the canine model. Physical examination, diagnostic chagasic serology, and serial electrocardiograms were performed before and after immunization, as well as after experimental infection. We found that immunization with recombinant plasmids prevented hyperthermia in the acute phase of experimental infection and produced lymphadenomegaly as an immunological response against the parasite and additionally prevented heart rate elevation (tachycardia) in the acute and/or chronic stages of infection. Immunization with T. cruzi genes encoding the TcSP and TcSSP4 antigens diminished the quality and quantity of the electrocardiographic abnormalities, thereby avoiding progression to more severe developments such as right bundle branch block or ventricular premature complexes in a greater number of dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No, 1, Col, Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14080, Mexico.
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Gupta S, Garg NJ. Delivery of antigenic candidates by a DNA/MVA heterologous approach elicits effector CD8(+)T cell mediated immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi. Vaccine 2012; 30:7179-86. [PMID: 23079191 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we have characterized the immune mechanisms elicited by antigenic candidates, TcG2 and TcG4, delivered by a DNA-prime/MVA-boost approach, and evaluated the host responses to Trypanosoma cruzi infection in C57BL/6 mice. Immunization of mice with antigenic candidates elicited antigen-specific, high-avidity, trypanolytic antibody response (IgG2b>IgG1) and CD8(+)T cells that exhibited type-1 cytolytic effector (CD8(+)CD107a(+)IFN-γ(+)Perforin(+)) phenotype. The extent of TcG2-dependent type 1 B and T cell immunity was higher than that noted in TcG4-immunized mice, and expanded accordingly in response to challenge infection with T. cruzi. The progression of chronic phase in immunized mice was associated with persistence of IgGs, 55-90% reduction in the frequency of proinflammatory (IFN-γ(+) or TNF-α(+)) CD8(+)T cells, and an increase or emergence of immunoregulatory (IL-10(+)) CD4/CD8 T cells. The tissue parasitism, infiltration of inflammatory infiltrate, parasite persistence, and fibrosis were decreased by 82-92% in heart and skeletal muscle of immunized/chronically infected mice. Control mice exhibited a significantly low antibody response, consistent activation of effector CD8(+)T cells dominated by pro-inflammatory phenotype and mixed cytokine profile (IFN-γ+TNF-α>IL-4+IL-10), parasite persistence and pathologic damage in chagasic hearts. We conclude that delivery of TcG2 or TcG4 by DNA-rMVA approach elicits effective antibody and CD8(+)T cell mediated immunity against T. cruzi and Chagas disease. The emergence of type 2 cytokine and T cell response in chronic phase was indicative of prevention of clinical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivali Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, United States
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Dumonteil E, Bottazzi ME, Zhan B, Heffernan MJ, Jones K, Valenzuela JG, Kamhawi S, Ortega J, de Leon Rosales SP, Lee BY, Bacon KM, Fleischer B, Slingsby BT, Cravioto MB, Tapia-Conyer R, Hotez PJ. Accelerating the development of a therapeutic vaccine for human Chagas disease: rationale and prospects. Expert Rev Vaccines 2012; 11:1043-55. [PMID: 23151163 PMCID: PMC3819810 DOI: 10.1586/erv.12.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a leading cause of heart disease affecting approximately 10 million people in Latin America and elsewhere worldwide. The two major drugs available for the treatment of Chagas disease have limited efficacy in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected adults with indeterminate (patients who have seroconverted but do not yet show signs or symptoms) and determinate (patients who have both seroconverted and have clinical disease) status; they require prolonged treatment courses and are poorly tolerated and expensive. As an alternative to chemotherapy, an injectable therapeutic Chagas disease vaccine is under development to prevent or delay Chagasic cardiomyopathy in patients with indeterminate or determinate status. The bivalent vaccine will be comprised of two recombinant T. cruzi antigens, Tc24 and TSA-1, formulated on alum together with the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist, E6020. Proof-of-concept for the efficacy of these antigens was obtained in preclinical testing at the Autonomous University of Yucatan. Here the authors discuss the potential for a therapeutic Chagas vaccine as well as the progress made towards such a vaccine, and the authors articulate a roadmap for the development of the vaccine as planned by the nonprofit Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development in collaboration with an international consortium of academic and industrial partners in Mexico, Germany, Japan, and the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Centro De Investigaciones Regional, “Dr. Hideo Noguchi” Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), Merida, Mexico
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bin Zhan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine), National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael J Heffernan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine), National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn Jones
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jaime Ortega
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados - Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Bruce Y Lee
- Public Health Computational and Operations Research (PHICOR), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Kristina M Bacon
- Public Health Computational and Operations Research (PHICOR), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter J Hotez
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Dakshinamoorthy G, Samykutty AK, Munirathinam G, Shinde GB, Nutman T, Reddy MV, Kalyanasundaram R. Biochemical characterization and evaluation of a Brugia malayi small heat shock protein as a vaccine against lymphatic filariasis. PLoS One 2012; 7:e34077. [PMID: 22496777 PMCID: PMC3320633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2011] [Accepted: 02/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Filarial nematodes enjoy one of the longest life spans of any human pathogen due to effective immune evasion strategies developed by the parasite. Among the various immune evasion strategies exhibited by the parasite, Interleukin 10 (IL-10) productions and IL-10 mediated immune suppression has significant negative impact on the host immune system. Recently, we identified a small heat shock protein expressed by Brugia malayi (BmHsp12.6) that can bind to soluble human IL-10 receptor alpha (IL-10R) and activate IL-10 mediated effects in cell lines. In this study we show that the IL-10R binding region of BmHsp12.6 is localized to its N-terminal region. This region has significant sequence similarity to the receptor binding region of human IL-10. In vitro studies confirm that the N-terminal region of BmHsp12.6 (N-BmHsp12.6) has IL-10 like activity and the region containing the alpha crystalline domain and C-terminus of BmHsp12.6 (BmHsp12.6αc) has no IL-10 like activity. However, BmHsp12.6αc contains B cell, T cell and CTL epitopes. Members of the sHSP families are excellent vaccine candidates. Evaluation of sera samples from putatively immune endemic normal (EN) subjects showed IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies against BmHsp12.6αc and these antibodies were involved in the ADCC mediated protection. Subsequent vaccination trials with BmHsp12.6αc in a mouse model using a heterologous prime boost approach showed that 83% protection can be achieved against B. malayi L3 challenge. Results presented in this study thus show that the N-BmHsp12.6 subunit of BmHsp12.6 has immunoregulatory function, whereas, the BmHsp12.6αc subunit of BmHsp12.6 has significant vaccine potential.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Antibodies, Helminth/blood
- Antibodies, Helminth/immunology
- Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
- Antigens, Helminth/immunology
- Brugia malayi/immunology
- Cell Proliferation
- Cytokines/metabolism
- Elephantiasis, Filarial/immunology
- Elephantiasis, Filarial/prevention & control
- Heat-Shock Proteins, Small/genetics
- Heat-Shock Proteins, Small/immunology
- Heat-Shock Proteins, Small/metabolism
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Interleukin-10/immunology
- Interleukin-10/metabolism
- Male
- Mast Cells/cytology
- Mast Cells/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Peptide Fragments/immunology
- Receptors, Interleukin-10/immunology
- Receptors, Interleukin-10/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
- Spleen/cytology
- Spleen/immunology
- Spleen/metabolism
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, DNA/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- Gajalakshmi Dakshinamoorthy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Abhilash Kumble Samykutty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gnanasekar Munirathinam
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gangadhar Bhaurao Shinde
- Department of Biochemistry, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
| | - Thomas Nutman
- Helminth Immunology Section, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maryada Venkatarami Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
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Quijano-Hernandez I, Dumonteil E. Advances and challenges towards a vaccine against Chagas disease. HUMAN VACCINES 2011; 7:1184-91. [PMID: 22048121 DOI: 10.4161/hv.7.11.17016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is major public health problem, affecting nearly 10 million people, characterized by cardiac alterations leading to congestive heart failure and death of 20-40% of the patients infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite responsible for the disease. A vaccine would be key to improve disease control and we review here the recent advances and challenges of a T. cruzi vaccine. There is a growing consensus that a protective immune response requires the activation of a Th1 immune profile, with the stimulation of CD8 (+) T cells. Several vacines types, including recombinant proteins, DNA and viral vectors, as well as heterologous prime-boost combinations, have been found immunogenic and protective in mouse models, providing proof-of-concept data on the feasibility of a preventive or therapeutic vaccine to control a T. cruzi infection. However, several challenges such as better end-points, safety issues and trial design need to be addressed for further vaccine development to proceed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Quijano-Hernandez
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 'Dr. Hideyo Noguchi', Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
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