Induction of protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in mice by immunization with a plasmid encoding <i>Toxoplama gondii</i> ROP1 gene

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that is a causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a disease which may result in a spectrum of consequences. It has been shown that DNA vaccine can be effective in partial protection against this parasite. In the present work, a single DNA vaccine containing ROP1 was evaluated against T. gondii infection in Balb/c mice. To enhance the immune response, alum was used as an adjuvant. After intramuscular immunization, cytokine and antibody assays and mortality rate were evaluated. The results showed that mice immunized by pcROP1 with or without alum produced high Th1 immune response compared with control groups. This type of DNA vaccine prolonged slightly the survival time. The current study showed that ROP1 DNA vaccine can induced partial protective response against toxoplasmosis.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, DNA vaccine, ROP1gene, immunity, mice