Vaccination of buffaloes with Fasciola gigantica recombinant glutathione S-transferase and fatty acid binding protein

Abstract

Fasciola gigantica, causative agent of tropical fasciolosis, inflicts substantial economic losses on the livestock industry, affecting severely buffalo productivity in the tropical countries. Very few vaccination trials with different target antigens against F. gigantica infection have been conducted in this host. Present study describes a vaccination trial in buffaloes with F. gigantica recombinant glutathione S-transferase and fatty acid binding protein. The two recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and evaluated for their immunoprophylactic potential in buffalo calves, using montanide 70 M-VG, a mineral oil-based adjuvant, for delivering the antigens. Buffalo calves were distributed in three groups, with group I, II and III calves immunized with recombinant glutathione S-transferase, fatty acid binding protein and a cocktail of these two antigens, respectively. Immunization of the calves evoked a mixed IgG1 and IgG2 antibody response. Present vaccination trial in these animals achieved a maximum protection level of 35%, when the two antigens were used in combination. Eosinophils were measured in both immunized and non-immunized challenge control animals, which showed a steady increase in their count in response to immunization with both the antigens and infection with F. gigantica, respectively.

Safety and immunogenicity of the Na-GST-1 hookworm vaccine in Brazilian and American adults

“…Vaccines–both human and veterinary–based on GST proteins have been developed to protect against several different organisms, including the trematode parasites Schistosoma haematobium and Fasciola hepatica [29, 30]. Na -GST-1 belongs to the Nu class of nematode GSTs that is characterized by reduced peroxidase activity relative to other classes of GSTs but an elevated capacity to bind free heme, an end-product of the parasite’s hemoglobin digestion pathway that is potentially toxic to the worm [14–18].…”

Transcriptomic responses of water buffalo liver to infection with the digenetic fluke Fasciola gigantica

“…Fasciola hepatica infection in lambs can induce a dominant Th2-biased immune response along with suppression of Th1/Th17 responses [ 21 ] and can negatively impact Th1 responses to bystander infections, such as during coinfection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis [ 41 ]. Buffaloes, on the other hand, can exhibit a combination of Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression pattern in response to F. gigantica infection [ 42 , 43 ] or post vaccination with the recombinant fatty acid binding protein (rFABP) and glutathione S-transferase (rGST) protein [ 44 ]. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect some differences in the expression patterns of immune response genes that interact with or are stimulated in response to infection with F. gigantica and F. hepatica .…”

Fasciola and fasciolosis in ruminants in Europe: Identifying research needs

“…With these combinations, protection ranged from 0% in sheep to 72% in cattle (Dalton, McGonigle, Rolph, & Andrews, ; Mulcahy et al., ) whilst native CL1+ CL2+ LAP induced a reduction of 79% in worm burden in sheep (Piacenza, Acosta, Basmadjian, & Carmona, ). More recent studies using recombinant proteins showed promising results: in cattle immunized with recombinant cathepsin L1 (CL1) a significant reduction in fluke burden of 48% was found (Golden et al., ); and in buffalo, recombinant FABP and GST induced a 35% reduction in F. gigantica (Kumar et al., ). A combination of several immunomodulatory and biologically relevant parasite molecules with the appropriate adjuvant and/or delivery system to drive a Th1 or a mixed Th1/Th2 response may enhance vaccine protection.…”