寄生虫半胱氨酸蛋白酶核酸疫苗的研究进展与应用前景

就寄生虫半胱氨酸蛋白酶的一些生理生化与免疫学性质进行了概括,阐述了该酶与宿主免疫应答之间的作用关系,证明了该酶具有作为研制高效核酸疫苗的条件,同时综述了寄生虫半胱氨酸蛋白酶核酸疫苗的发展以及应用前景。     

组织蛋白酶L生物学功能的研究进展

组织蛋白酶L(cathepsin L, CTSL)隶属于组织蛋白酶类,是一种木瓜蛋白酶家族中的半胱氨酸蛋白水解酶,以酶原形式广泛存在于动物各种组织细胞的溶酶体内,其相对分子量为30 000,在维持动物正常生命活动中扮演着重要角色。CTSL参与激素原的激活、体内抗原呈递、组织器官发育等多个生理过程,对于指导蛋白质的合成与分解、T细胞分选等具有重要的生物学意义。在病理状态下,由于炎症刺激、免疫损伤等多种原因均能造成细胞的损伤,导致CTSL大量释放到组织间隙或胞质中并被激活,使得细胞成分或细胞基质成分降解,常与肿瘤的浸润和转移、毛囊的形态发育及心肌病有关。目前,我国针对CTSL的相关生理特性研究相对较少,且有关CTSL研究方向较为单一。本文对CTSL的结构与功能,CTSL的生物合成与体内转运,及其在毛囊发育、激素合成、肿瘤标志物、维持心肌稳态、寄生虫防治和抗原递呈方面的典型生物学效应进行综述,并对其研究前景进行展望,以期对CTSL的深入研究提供理论依据,为CTSL研究提供方向。     

Proteomic approach to identify candidate effector molecules during the in vitro immune exclusion of infective Teladorsagia circumcincta in the abomasum of sheep

In the present study we have employed an in vitro organ challenge model to study the post-challenge responses in parasite na?ve and immune gastric tissue of sheep, in an attempt to identify the host derived factors involved in immune exclusion of Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae. Proteins present in the epithelial cells and mucus from ovine abomasa following parasite challenge in previously na?ve and immune animals were analysed through Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-Tof)-MS and shotgun proteomics. MALDI-ToF analysis of epithelial cell lysates revealed that a number of proteins identified were differentially expressed in na?ve and immune cells. These included intelectin and lysozymes, which were present at higher levels in epithelial cell lysates derived from immune samples. A large number of proteins were identified in the mucosal wash from immune tissue which were not present in the mucosal wash of the na?ve tissue. Some of these proteins were present in washes of immune tissue prior to the parasite challenge including immunoglobulin A, galectin 14 and 15 and sheep mast cell protease 1. However, other proteins, such as calcium activated chloride channel and intelectin were only detected in the washings from the challenged tissue. The latter may be related to an enhanced mucus release, which may result in entrapment of infective larvae and thus reduced establishment in tissue that has been previously challenged with the parasite. In conclusion, several proteins have been identified which may be involved, either directly or indirectly, in the exclusion and immune elimination of incoming infective larvae. In the present study, the usefulness of the in vitro model has been confirmed, and the global proteomic approach has identified proteins that had not previously been associated with parasite exclusion from abomasal mucosa, such as the calcium activated chloride channel.     

Recent Advance on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Utilizes Self-proteins to Evade Innate Immunity Response of Host

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, hot, and highly contagious infectious disease caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) infection of cloven-hoofed animals. FMDV has seven serotypes and it spreads rapidly, which seriously affects the development of animal husbandry. FMDV is the prototype member of the Aphthovirus genus within the Picornaviridae family, and its genome encodes 4 structural proteins and 10 non-structural proteins. After infecting the host, FMDV uses its proteins to affect the host innate immune response through a variety of pathways and methods, which is beneficial to the microenvironment of FMDV replication. These strategies include FMDV involvement in autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress and stress granule formation of cellular processes, subverting the functions of various host proteins, such as hijacking, cleaving host proteins or interfering with the expression of host proteins, removing ubiquitin from host proteins, and inhibiting the phosphorylation of host proteins, which are also the focus of current research. Based on the existing research results, we summarized the research progress of FMDV protein in suppressing the innate immunity of host in recent years, intending to provide a reference for the research and prevention of FMDV.     

口蹄疫病毒利用自身蛋白逃逸宿主天然免疫应答的研究进展

口蹄疫（foot-and-mouth disease,FMD）是由口蹄疫病毒（foot-and-mouth disease virus,FMDV）感染偶蹄兽所引起的一种急性、热性、高度接触性传染病,FMDV有7个血清型,加之病毒传播迅速,严重影响畜牧业的发展。FMDV为小RNA病毒科、口蹄疫病毒属的唯一成员,其基因组编码4种结构蛋白和10种非结构蛋白。FMDV感染宿主后利用自身蛋白通过多种途径和方式来影响宿主天然免疫应答,从而有利于FMDV复制的微环境。这些策略包括FMDV参与细胞自噬、内质网应激和应激颗粒形成的细胞过程,破坏多种宿主蛋白的功能,如劫持、裂解宿主蛋白或干扰宿主蛋白的表达、去除宿主蛋白的泛素化以及抑制宿主蛋白的磷酸化。这些逃避天然免疫的策略也是目前研究的热点。基于现有的研究结果,作者总结了近几年FMDV蛋白在抑制宿主天然免疫方面的研究进展,以期为FMDV的研究与防控提供参考。     

Cathepsin L proteinases as vaccines against infection with Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) in ruminants

Fasciolosis, caused by trematodes of the genus Fasciola, is one of the most important diseases of farmed ruminants in temperate and tropical zones. The appearance of Fasciola hepatica populations that are resistant to common flukicidal drugs means that new methods of treatment will soon be required. The future prospect for the development of anti-liver fluke vaccines is optimistic and given their consumer acceptability and environmental friendliness, offer the best way forward. Cathepsin L proteases (Fhe CL 1 and Fhe CL 2), secreted by liver flukes at all stages of their development in the mammalian host, are believed to play important roles in facilitating parasite migration (tissue degradation), feeding and immuno-evasion. The authors consider them prime targets for which new vaccines can be developed. Vaccine studies in cattle and sheep have shown that protection levels of up to 72 and 79 per cent, respectively, can be obtained with immunisations of cathepsin Ls in Freunds' adjuvant. The vaccine also exhibited high anti-embryonation/anti-fecundity effects on parasites that survived in vaccinated animals and thus could have a major impact on the transmission of disease to the intermediate host. While natural infections in sheep and cattle appear to elicit non-protective Th2 immune responses, the authors' studies indicate that the protection induced by vaccination involves elements of a Th1 response.     

血吸虫的抗原伪装研究进展

抗原伪装是包括寄生虫在内的病原体的一种逃避宿主免疫反应方式.血吸虫在宿主间的转移实验证明了血吸虫具有抗原伪装现象.在血吸虫生活史的主要阶段均发现了许多与宿主相同的抗原以及众多的免疫抑制物质.这些物质有些是血吸虫自身表达的,有些是血吸虫结合的宿主抗原.它们通过掩盖血吸虫抗原等多种机理伪装血吸虫进而使血吸虫逃避宿主的免疫攻击.     

Recent advances in immunomodulation and vaccination strategies against coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a ubiquitous intestinal protozoan infection of poultry seriously impairing the growth and feed utilization of infected animals. Conventional disease control strategies rely heavily on chemoprophylaxis, which is a tremendous cost to the industry. Existing vaccines consist of live virulent or attenuated Eimeria strains with limited scope of protection against an ever-evolving and widespread pathogen. The continual emergence of drug-resistant strains of Eimeria, coupled with the increasing regulations and bans on the use of anticoccidial drugs in commercial poultry production, urges the need for novel approaches and alternative control strategies. Because of the complexity of the host immunity and the parasite life cycle, a comprehensive understanding of host-parasite interactions and protective immune mechanisms becomes necessary for successful prevention and control practices. Recent progress in functional genomics technology would facilitate the identification and characterization of host genes involved in immune responses as well as parasite genes and proteins that elicit protective host responses. This study reviews recent coccidiosis research and provides information on host immunity, immunomodulation, and the latest advances in live and recombinant vaccine development against coccidiosis. Such information will help magnify our understanding of host-parasite biology and mucosal immunology, and we hope it will lead to comprehensive designs of nutritional interventions and vaccination strategies for coccidiosis.     

Vaccinating against zoonotic parasitic diseases: myth or reality?

The largely unanticipated difficulties of parasite vaccine development have led us to a renewed awareness of the survival strategies evolutionarily embedded within parasites over hundreds of millions of years. We have grown to appreciate that efforts to disrupt parasite-host relationships are substantially compounded by our incomplete understanding of the complex immune responses that occur in the naturally infected host. Given the inability to transfer laboratory successes to field trials, research is leading us to conclude that genetically defined animal models may not be good predictors of the unique and disparate protective immune responses one can expect from the genetically heterogeneous populations of animals that represent the parasite's natural environment. This is further compounded by the abundance of mechanisms parasites have created for themselves to defend against immune intervention. Thus, in the never-ending saga of vaccine development, it is only appropriate that pitfalls and advancements be critiqued as they apply across parasite groups, with a look towards promising technologies that may propel this field to the level of scientific achievement once envisaged.     

Proteases in helminthic parasites

Proteases catalyse the cleavage of internal peptide bonds within peptides and proteins. They are classified into four major classes and are involved in a broad range of eukaryotic processes. Proteases have also been found to play a number of critical roles in the virulence of pathogenic agents, particularly of nematode parasites. Parasitic proteases are involved in different aspects of host-parasite interactions. They facilitate the invasion of host tissues and allow nutrition as well as the survival of the parasite in its host. Proteases also participate in the parasite's evasion from the host's immune response. The functional diversity and complexity of these enzymes are described in this review, with a particular focus on the principally identified proteases of four helminths: Schistosoma sp., Fasciola sp., Taenia sp. and Haemonchus sp. Some of these proteases, especially the cysteine proteases secreted by the parasitic trematode Fasciola hepatica, have been successfully tested in experimental immunodiagnosis. Proteases identified in different parasites are currently under study for a use as recombinant vaccines. In this respect, proteases are proposed as major potential targets for immunotherapy and chemotherapy against parasitic diseases.     

The application of nucleic acid vaccines in veterinary medicine

Nucleic acid immunisation entails the delivery of DNA (or RNA) encoding a vaccine antigen to the recipient. The DNA is taken up by host cells and transcribed to mRNA, from which the vaccine proteins are then translated. The expressed proteins are recognised as foreign by the host immune system and elicit an immune response, which may have both cell-mediated and humoral components. DNA vaccines offer a number of advantages over conventional vaccines, including ease of production, stability and cost. They also allow the production of vaccines against organisms which are difficult or dangerous to culture in the laboratory. This review describes the principles of DNA vaccination and the application of DNA vaccines to veterinary species. Although a great deal of developmental work is required before the technology can give rise to commercial vaccines in domestic animals, there is ongoing research in many fields and it is expected that a number of exciting developments will arise in the next decade.     

Advances and prospects for subunit vaccines against protozoa of veterinary importance.

Protozoa are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in domestic and companion animals. Preventing infection may involve deliberate exposure to virulent or attenuated parasites so that immunity to natural infection is established early in life. This is the basis for vaccines against theilerosis and avian coccidiosis. Vaccination may not be effective or practical with diseases, such as cryptosporidiosis, that primarily afflict the immune-compromised or individuals with an incompletely developed immune system. Strategies for combating these diseases often rely on passive immunotherapy using serum or colostrums containing antibodies to parasite surface proteins. Subunit vaccines offer an attractive alternative to virulent or attenuated parasites for several reasons. These include the use of bacteria or lower eukaryotes to produce recombinant proteins in batch culture, the relative stability of recombinant proteins compared to live parasites, and the flexibility to incorporate only those antigens that elicit "protective" immune responses. Although subunit vaccines offer many theoretical advantages, our lack of understanding of immune mechanisms to primary and secondary infection and the capacity of many protozoa to evade host immunity remain obstacles to developing effective vaccines. This review examines the progress made on developing recombinant proteins of Eimeria, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, Neospora, Trypanosoma, Babesia, and Theileria and attempts to use these antigens for vaccinating animals against the associated diseases.     

The biological and practical significance of antigenic variability in protective T cell responses against Theileria parva

The evolution of antigenically distinct pathogen strains that fail to cross-protect is well documented for pathogens controlled primarily by humoral immune responses. Unlike antibodies, which recognise native proteins, protective T cells can potentially recognise epitopes in a variety of proteins that are not necessarily displayed on the pathogen surface. Moreover, individual hosts of different MHC genotypes generally respond to different sets of epitopes. It is therefore less easy to envisage how strain restricted immunity can arise for pathogens controlled by T cell responses, particularly in antigenically complex parasites. Nevertheless, strain restricted immunity is clearly a feature of a number of parasitic infections, where immunity is known to be mediated by T cell responses. One such parasite is Theileria parva which induces potent CD8 T cell responses that play an important role in immunity. CD8 T cells specific for parasitized lymphoblasts exhibit strain specificity, which appears to correlate with the ability of parasite strains to cross-protect. Studies using recently identified T. parva antigens recognised by CD8 T cells have shown that the strain restricted nature of immunity is a consequence of the CD8 T cell response in individual animals being focused on a limited number of dominant polymorphic antigenic determinants. Responses in animals of different MHC genotypes are often directed to different parasite antigens, indicating that, at the host population level, a larger number of parasite proteins can serve as targets for the protective T cell response. Nevertheless, the finding that parasite strains show overlapping antigenic profiles, probably as a consequence of sexual recombination, suggests that induction of responses to an extended but limited set of antigens in individual animals may overcome the strain restricted nature of immunity.     

Toxoplasma gondii surface antigen 1 (SAG1) as a potential candidate to develop vaccine against toxoplasmosis: A systematic review

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that infects a broad range of animal species and humans. As the main surface antigen of the tachyzoite, SAG1 is involved in the process of recognition, adhesion and invasion of host cells. The aim of the current systematic review study is to clarify the latest status of studies in the literature regarding SAG1-associated recombinant proteins or SAG1-associated recombinant DNAs as potential vaccines against toxoplasmosis. Data were systematically collected from six databases including PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EBSCO and Scopus, up to 1st of January 2019. A total of 87 articles were eligible for inclusion criteria in the current systematic review. The most common antigens used for experimental cocktail vaccines together with SAG1 were ROP2 and SAG2. In addition, the most parasite strains used were RH and ME49. Freund’s adjuvant and cholera toxin have been predominantly utilized. Furthermore, regarding the animal models, route and dose of vaccination, challenge methods, measurement of immune responses and cyst burden have been discussed in the text. Most of these experimental vaccines induce immune responses and have a high degree of protection against parasite infections, increase survival rates and duration and reduce cyst burdens. The data demonstrated that SAG1 antigen has a high potential for use as a vaccine and provided a promising approach for protecting humans and animals against toxoplasmosis.     

The effect of the host's age on the pathology of Eimeria stiedai infection in rabbits

The pathology of experimental Eimeria stiedai infection in 2- and 4-month-old rabbits raised coccidia-free was studied. Over 50 days of infection, the serum activities of aspartate (AST) and alanine (ALT) aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) were analyzed as indicators of hepatic lesions and total serum globulins with respect to the immune response of the host; parasite development was followed by oocyst output; weight gain, food intake and relative liver weight were analyzed to control the performance of infected animals. The age of the host strongly affected parasite development and consequently the biochemical and zootechnical parameters differed more markedly in the younger animals; however, the enzyme ALT showed an increase independent of parasite development, and infection did not affect GGTP activity. The increase in age was responsible for resistance of rabbits to hepatic coccidiosis and older animals were less affected than young ones.     

Cathepsin L cysteine proteinase in the diagnosis of bovine Fasciola gigantica infection

Cathepsin L cysteine proteinase from Fasciola gigantica was evaluated for its potential in the early prepatent detection of this helminth infection in bovine calves. Five cross-bred bovine calves were experimentally infected with 400 metacercariae/calf and evaluated for anti-cathepsin L antibody response. F. gigantica infection in these calves could be detected 4 weeks post-infection using an ELISA, dipstick ELISA and Western blotting with 100% sensitivity. The antigen was also used to detect F. gigantica field infection in cattle, by screening 256 sera of these animals by an ELISA, which demonstrated an overall infection rate of 26.95%. Preliminary studies showed that F. gigantica cathepsin L cysteine proteinase does not cross-react with Paramphistomum epiclitum, Gigantocotyle explanatum and hydatid cyst antigens. However, extensive studies on the cross-reactivity of this antigen with related helminth parasites of cattle and buffaloes are required, before this antigen can be considered suitable for immuno-diagnosis of fasciolosis in these ruminants.     

弓形虫致密颗粒蛋白的生物学功能研究进展

刚地弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）是一种重要的人兽共患寄生原虫,具有中间宿主广泛、生活史复杂、传播方式多样、呈全球性分布等特点,可感染几乎所有的恒温动物,导致人兽共患的弓形虫病。弓形虫慢性感染约1/3的世界人口,对免疫缺陷患者、孕妇、孕畜的健康更是造成严重威胁。致密颗粒蛋白是由致密颗粒（弓形虫的一种亚细胞分泌器官）分泌的蛋白质,它们可通过操控宿主（细胞）基因表达、信号通路进而调控宿主细胞的免疫反应和细胞周期,并在蛋白质的转运和定位、营养物质的摄取、纳米管网络（IVN）的形成与稳定性的维持、逸出、慢性感染等生理过程中发挥重要作用。本文综述弓形虫致密颗粒蛋白基本生物学功能的最新研究进展,旨在为深入研究弓形虫的致病机制、鉴定新的抗弓形虫潜在药物靶点和疫苗候选分子提供借鉴。     

The highly antigenic 53/25 kDa Taenia solium protein fraction with cathepsin-L like activity is present in the oncosphere/cysticercus and induces non-protective IgG antibodies in pigs

Cathepsin L-like proteases are secreted by several parasites including Taenia solium. The mechanism used by T. solium oncospheres to degrade and penetrate the intestine and infect the host is incompletely understood. It is assumed that intestinal degradation is driven by the proteolytic activity of enzymes secreted by the oncosphere. Blocking the proteolytic activity by an antibody response would prevent the oncosphere penetration and further infection. Serine and cysteine proteases including chymotrypsin, trypsin, elastase, and cathepsin L, are secreted by T. solium and Taenia saginata oncospheres when cultured in vitro, being potential vaccine candidates. However, the purification of a sufficient quantity of proteases secreted by oncospheres to conduct a vaccine trial is costly and lengthy. A 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like fraction partially purified from T. solium cyst fluid was described previously as an important antigen for immunodiagnostics. In this study we found that this antigen is present in the T. solium oncosphere and is also secreted by the cysticercus. This protein fraction was tested for its ability to protect pigs against an oral challenge with T. solium oncospheres in a vaccine trial. IgG antibodies against the 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like protein fraction were elicited in the vaccinated animals but did not confer protection.     

寄生虫半胱氨酸蛋白酶研究进展

半胱氨酸蛋白酶(Cysteine protease,CP)是一类在酶的活性中心含有半胱氨酸残基的蛋白水解酶.CP属于木瓜蛋白酶家族,广泛分布于从病毒至脊椎动物的生物体中.对人体半胱氨酸蛋白酶的研究主要集中在细胞凋亡分子机制和恶性肿瘤的基因诊断与治疗等方面.而对寄生虫半胱氨酸蛋白酶研究的内容则更为广泛,其中包含半胱氨酸蛋...     

A Brief History and Overview of Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii was discovered by scientists working in North Africa and Brazil around 100 years ago. The parasite has since been found to be capable of infecting all warm‐blooded animals including humans making it one of the most successful parasitic organisms worldwide. The pathogenic potential of T. gondii was recognized in the 1920s and 1930s, in congenitally infected children presenting with the classic triad of symptoms, namely hydrocephalus, retinochoroiditis and encephalitis. In addition, around the same time T. gondii parasites were found to be associated with severe intraocular inflammation. In the 1980s, T. gondii emerged as a major cause of death in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, illustrating the importance of the immune system in controlling T. gondii infection. T. gondii was reported as a major cause of abortion in sheep in New Zealand in the 1950s, which raised questions about potential new transmission routes for the parasite. The discovery of the cat as the definitive host in the 1960s was a very important finding as it helped to complete our understanding of the parasite’s life cycle, and the oocyst stage of T. gondii shed in the faeces of infected cats was found to be an important source of infection for many intermediate hosts and helped to explain infection in herbivorous animals and people with a vegetarian diet. In addition, this stage of the parasite was very robust and could survive in the environment, depending on the climatic conditions, for up to 12–18 months. Knowledge of the parasite’s lifecycle, transmission routes, risk groups and host immune responses has helped in the development of strategies to control the disease, reduce transmission of the parasite and limit environmental contamination.