Furthering Promising Molecular Adjuvant Therapy Against Toxoplasma gondii

Advisor Information

Paul Davis

Location

UNO Criss Library, Room 231

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Start Date

4-3-2016 9:30 AM

End Date

4-3-2016 9:45 AM

Abstract

One third of the world population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii (TG). This obligate intracellular parasite is the leading cause of death in immunocompromised individuals, in addition to spontaneous abortion or birth defects. Peptide-based vaccines were generated based on projected efficacy and cross species application and analyzed in combination with a promising molecular adjuvant, EP67. Our aim was to bridge the gap seen in often limited-response epitope vaccines and provide complete immunity against lethal infection with TG. The most protective vaccine generated was a pentavalent combination including sequences from the parasite proteins Cathepsin protease (CAT), Surface Antigen 1 (SAG1), dense granule antigen (GRA7), apical membrane antigen 1(AMA1), and microneme protein 3 (MIC3). This pentavalent vaccine conjugated to EP67 (PVEC) (40-50% protected) out preformed the pentavalent vaccine without EP67(30% protected), as well as the pentavalent vaccine conjugated to the most prevalent adjuvant today, Alum (0% protected) in a lethal type II challenge. PVEC was also tested for efficacy against type I strains and protected 20% of subjects from a hyper-lethal infection. Moreover, not only were they protected from the mortality associated with these infections, they were protected from the chronic stage of the disease in which cysts are formed in the brain and muscle. This advanced platform vaccine technology offers significant advantages over similarToxoplasma vaccine approaches, and shows promise in epitope-based efforts.

Additional Information (Optional)

Winner of Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation

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COinS
 
Mar 4th, 9:30 AM Mar 4th, 9:45 AM

Furthering Promising Molecular Adjuvant Therapy Against Toxoplasma gondii

UNO Criss Library, Room 231

One third of the world population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii (TG). This obligate intracellular parasite is the leading cause of death in immunocompromised individuals, in addition to spontaneous abortion or birth defects. Peptide-based vaccines were generated based on projected efficacy and cross species application and analyzed in combination with a promising molecular adjuvant, EP67. Our aim was to bridge the gap seen in often limited-response epitope vaccines and provide complete immunity against lethal infection with TG. The most protective vaccine generated was a pentavalent combination including sequences from the parasite proteins Cathepsin protease (CAT), Surface Antigen 1 (SAG1), dense granule antigen (GRA7), apical membrane antigen 1(AMA1), and microneme protein 3 (MIC3). This pentavalent vaccine conjugated to EP67 (PVEC) (40-50% protected) out preformed the pentavalent vaccine without EP67(30% protected), as well as the pentavalent vaccine conjugated to the most prevalent adjuvant today, Alum (0% protected) in a lethal type II challenge. PVEC was also tested for efficacy against type I strains and protected 20% of subjects from a hyper-lethal infection. Moreover, not only were they protected from the mortality associated with these infections, they were protected from the chronic stage of the disease in which cysts are formed in the brain and muscle. This advanced platform vaccine technology offers significant advantages over similarToxoplasma vaccine approaches, and shows promise in epitope-based efforts.