Intranasal immunization with recombinant Ascaris suum 14-kilodalton antigen coupled with cholera toxin B subunit induces protective immunity to A. suum infection in mice.

ABSTRACT: Animals can be rendered immune to Ascaris parasites by immunization with infectious-stage larvae. The specific parasite gene products that mediate protective responses in ascariasis are unknown. We have identified a cDNA encoding Ascaris suum 14-kDa antigen (As14) and evaluated the vaccinal effect of the Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant protein (rAs14). GenBank analysis showed that As14 has low similarity at the amino acid level to a Caenorhabditis elegans gene product and to antigens of the filarial nematodes but not to other known proteins. In addition, As14 homologues were found to be expressed in human and dog roundworms. In mice that received intranasal administration of rAs14 coupled with cholera toxin B subunit (rAs14-CTB), there was a 64% reduction of recovery of larvae compa

SUBMITTER: Tsuji N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC98813 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature