CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides enhance porcine immunity to Toxoplasma gondii

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 55 - 66
• Main Authors: Kringel, H, Dubey, J.P, Beshah, E, Hecker, R, Urban, J.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 13-08-2004
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology; Agglutination Tests - veterinary; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; antibody formation; Body Temperature - immunology; Cats; dose response; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; humoral immunity; immune response; immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunostimulatory sequences; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - immunology; Mice; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides - immunology; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides - pharmacology; oligonucleotides; Protective immunity; Swine; Swine Diseases - immunology; Swine Diseases - parasitology; Swine Diseases - prevention & control; Synthetic adjuvant; synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides; tachyzoites; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - immunology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - parasitology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - prevention & control; vaccination; Vaccination - methods; Vaccination - veterinary; vaccine adjuvants; Synthetic adjuvant; Protective immunity; Immunostimulatory sequences
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.01.021

Protection against a challenge infection with
Toxoplasma gondii VEG strain oocysts was examined in pigs after vaccination with
T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites with or without a porcine specific synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing immunostimulatory CpG motifs. Six groups of pigs were immunized with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (IFA) and either vehicle, tachyzoites alone or in combination with three different doses of CpG ODN or with CpG ODN alone. Protection from challenge was significantly (
P < 0.05) improved in pigs vaccinated using CpG ODN as an adjuvant with tachyzoites compared to all other groups. The CpG ODN tachyzoite-immunized pigs also had higher serum parasite specific IgG antibody, no clinical signs of disease, and 52% had no demonstrable tissue cysts after the challenge infection. These data indicate that CpG ODN is a potential safe and effective adjuvant for the
T. gondii RH strain vaccine in pigs.