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Bacterial lipid modification enhances immunoprophylaxis of filarial abundant larval transcript‐2 protein in M astomys model
Author(s) -
Sharmila S.,
Christiana I.,
Kiran P.,
Reddy M. V. R.,
Sankaran K.,
Kaliraj P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/pim.12034
Subject(s) - brugia malayi , lymphatic filariasis , biology , epitope , filariasis , mastomys , immunology , antibody , virology , helminths , ecology , rodent
Summary As in many other parasitic diseases, efficacious vaccine for lymphatic filariasis has been elusive for want of new approaches leaving billions of people either debilitated or at risk. With multiple B ‐ and T ‐cell epitopes, the abundant larval transcript‐2 ( ALT ‐2) of the filarial worm, B rugia malayi , has been shown to be a promising immunoprophylactic target. To enhance its efficacy, it was lipid modified using our recently developed protein engineering tool, which then offered 30% more immunoprotection (49 vs. 79%) in Mastomys coucha model. Sustained high levels of IFN ‐γ (about 100 times) and high antibody titres (10‐fold) elicited by lipid‐modified ALT ‐2, as compared to the native form, indicated the maintenance of T h1/ T h2 balance that is impaired in filariasis. Thus, this study provides the basis for developing efficacious vaccines for filariasis and other parasitic diseases by exploiting bacterial lipid modification.