Echinococcus Granulosus 14-3-3 Protein: A Potential Vaccine Candidate Against Challenge with Echinococcus Granulosus in Mice

Key words: 
• Eg14-3-3 /
• Echinococcus gronuiosus /
• Vaccine /
• Immunoprotection

Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective immunity against Echinococcus granulosus in mice immunized with rEg14-3-3.Methods ICR mice were subcutaneously immunized three times with rEg14-3-3,followed by the challenge with Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces intraperitoneally and then sacrificed after six months of post-challenge to detect the proliferation of splenocytes by MTT assay,and to measure the secretion of IL-2,IL-4,IL-10,and IFN -γ by ELISA.The rate of reduced hydatid cyst and the levels of IgE,IgG and IgG subclasses in sera were examined.Results Mice vaccinated with rEg14-3-3 and challenged with protoscoleces revealed significant protective immunity of 84.47％.ELISA analysis indicated that the immunized mice generated specific high levels of IgG and the prevailing isotypes of IgG were IgG1 and IgG2a,Splenocytes from mice immunized with rEg14-3-3 showed a significant proliferation response.The secretion of IFN-y and IL-2 increased significantly in the vaccinated mice whereas there was no significant difference in IL-4 and IL-10 levels between vaccinated and control mice.Conclusion The results indicate that the rEg14-3-3 vaccine could induce a high level of protective immunity as a promising vaccine candidate to prevent cystic echinococcosis.