Giardia CWP2 : determining its immunogenic[i]ty and its potential as a candidate for vaccine against giardiasis

• Main Author: Larocque, Renée, 1975-
• Other Authors: Faubert, G. M. (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 2000
• Subjects: Protozoan Proteins.; Immunogenetics.; Giardiasis > Immunological aspects.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=30683

In this study, we determined the immunogenicity of CWP2 and its potential as a vaccine candidate against giardiasis. CWP2 was expressed as a recombinant protein with an hexa-histidine affinity tag and was isolated from inclusion bodies. When BALB/c mice were immunized with CWP2, a specific IgA was detected in the feces. When mice were immunized with CWP2 + cholera toxin, as an adjuvant, IgA in the feces, and IgA, IgG1, and IgG2a in the serum, all specific to CWP2, were detected. Also, CD-1 mice were infected with G. muris and presence of specific IgA antibodies to CWP2 were detected in the feces. This result indicated that CWP2 was recognized by the immune system in a natural infection. IL-4 and IL-5 were released from Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) cells when stimulated with concanavalin A. In spleen cells, IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-5 were released when stimulated with concanavalin A. However, in PP, MLN and spleen cells, the levels of cytokines were barely detectable when stimulated with CWP2. The presence of IgG2a (Th1), IgA and IgG1 (Th2) as the production of IFN-gamma (Th1), IL-4 and IL-5 (Th2) confirmed that CWP2, when presented orally to mice, stimulates both a Th1 and Th2 type immune response, locally and systemically.