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. 1994 Apr;62(4):1166–1170. doi: 10.1128/iai.62.4.1166-1170.1994

Protection of gerbils from amebic liver abscess by immunization with a recombinant Entamoeba histolytica antigen.

T Zhang 1, P R Cieslak 1, S L Stanley Jr 1
PMCID: PMC186248  PMID: 8132322

Abstract

Amebiasis, infection by the intestinal protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, is a leading parasitic cause of death. As a step in the development of a recombinant antigen vaccine to prevent E. histolytica infection, we looked at the ability of a recombinant version of the serine-rich E. histolytica protein (SREHP) to elicit a protective immune response against invasive amebic disease. Gerbils, a standard model for amebic liver abscess, were immunized with either a recombinant SREHP/maltose-binding protein (MBP) fusion, recombinant MBP alone, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), all combined with complete Freund's adjuvant. In the first trial (group 1), gerbils received a primary and two booster immunizations intraperitoneally; in the second trial (group 2), gerbils were immunized by a single intradermal injection. SREHP/MBP-immunized gerbils in both groups produced antibody to native SHEHP and developed delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to recombinant SREHP. All gerbils were challenged by an intrahepatic injection with 5 x 10(4) virulent E. histolytica HM1-IMSS trophozoites. Complete protection from amebic liver abscess was seen in 64% of the SHEHP/MBP-immunized gerbils in group 1 and in 100% of the SREHP/MBP-immunized gerbils in group 2. There was no protection observed in MBP- or PBS-immunized gerbils in either group. Our results indicate that the SREHP molecule has potential as a vaccine to prevent amebic infection and demonstrate that successful vaccination of animals with recombinant E. histolytica antigen vaccines is possible.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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