Immunization of pigs with culture antigens of Taenia solium

An evaluation has been made of the protective effect of immunizing pigs with excretory-secretory homologous antigens on Taenia solium infections. This procedure reduced the number of cysticerci established from a challenge infection.     

Cross-reactions between crude antigens of larval Taenia solium (Cysticercus cellulosae) and other helminths of pigs

A crude antigen extract of larval Taenia solium was shown by immunodiffusion (ID) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) to cross-react with rabbit antisera against pig serum proteins and larval T. hydatigena, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with antisera against pig serum proteins, Fasciolopsis buski, larval T. hydatigena, hydatid cyst, Hymenolepis diminuta and Dipylidium caninum. Immunoblotting demonstrated that the crude antigens extract contained epitopes of pig serum proteins of 48 and 66 kDa. The crude extract also contained a subunit of antigen B (95 kDa) which was also found in T. hydatigena and H. diminuta. Immunoperoxidase and indirect immunofluorescence studies showed that cross-reacting antigens were distributed mainly on the tegument of T. solium.     

Cross-reactivity of anti-Taenia crassiceps cysticerci immune antibodies with Taenia solium antigens

A comparative study of antibody production was carried out using BALB/c mice immunized with 20 or 50microg vesicular fluid (VF)-Tcra (Taenia crassiceps) antigens, and gel of <30kD or eluate from <30kD peptides. Good IgM, IgA and IgG levels were detected by ELISA-Tcra and the antibodies presented reactivity with the <20kD peptides when tested by immunoblotting-Tcra. The antibodies from animals immunized with 20 and 50microg presented high anti-Tso cross-reactivity in ELISA (IgG>IgM and IgA). All groups presented IgG antibodies identifying the 12kD Tso-peptide.     

Taenia solium oncosphere antigens induce immunity in pigs against experimental cysticercosis

Immunity to Taenia solium infection was investigated using an experimental intramuscular oncosphere infection assay (IMOA) model in pigs. Three naturally infected pigs with cysticercosis were treated with oxfendazole (OFZ), a drug demonstrated to kill cysts in porcine muscle. These animals were then challenged with oncospheres but did not develop any cysts while three uninfected pigs that were similarly challenged, did develop intramuscular cysts. In another study, two groups of three pigs each were immunized with crude T. solium oncosphere and metacestode antigens, respectively, and tested with the IMOA. Immunization with crude oncosphere antigens (OAs) induced 100% protection, while metacestode antigens provided only partial protection. Immunoblots showed that pigs with complete immune protection to oncosphere intramuscular challenge had antibodies to two OAs at 31.3 and 22.5 kDa, respectively. Antibody to these two antigens was absent in pigs immunized with metacestodes or in uninfected control pigs. This study demonstrated the presence of two antigens that are unique to the oncosphere. Although, antibody to these two antigens is consistently present in pigs that are protected from an oncosphere intramuscular challenge their role in preventing infection by T. solium larval cysts is still hypothetical.     

Kinetics of circulating antigens in pigs experimentally infected with Taenia solium eggs

Three groups of four piglets were experimentally infected with different doses (10(3), 10(4) and 10(5)) of Taenia solium eggs whereas a fourth group of two pigs received gravid proglottids. At autopsy 6 months post infection, the two latter pigs were heavily infected with more than 3000 living cysts per kg of muscle. Ten of the 12 other pigs harboured light infections, i.e. between 2 and 107 cysticerci, 42.4% of which were degenerated. The two remaining pigs had no detectable cysts at post mortem examination. Circulating antigens (CA) were detected in the sera of all pigs harbouring living cysticerci using a monoclonal antibody based ELISA. CA were first detected between 2 and 6 weeks post infection and remained present generally throughout the entire observation period even in pigs carrying only five to eight living cysts, although strong fluctuations of the level of CA were observed in some pigs. In animals without living cysts at post mortem CA were only detected for a short period and disappeared presumably when the cysticerci became degenerated. The minimum number of living cysts, which could be detected using this ELISA, was 1.     

Performance of the ELISA test for swine cysticercosis using antigens of Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps cysticerci

Studies were conducted to evaluate antigens of Taenia solium (Tso) and Taenia crassiceps (Tcra) cysticerci in the ELISA test for the diagnosis of swine cysticercosis. The samples analyzed were cysticercosis positive and negative control sera and heterologous sera. Four antigens were assayed: vesicular fluid (VF) and crude (T) Tcra and scolex (S) and crude (T) Tso. All antigens showed good performance, but VF-Tcra was the best followed by T-Tcra. Sensitivity rates of ELISA were respectively, in 2nd and 3rd standard deviation cut-offs, 96.0 and 80.0% for the VF antigen and specificity of 97.5 and 100.0%. Cross-reactivity was verified only for hidatidosis and ascaridiosis. Due to the high performance observed, the ELISA test using Tcra antigens should be recommended for the diagnosis of swine cysticercosis.     

猪带绦虫六钩蚴45W-4BX的高效表达、纯化及活性分析

截去猪带绦虫六钩蚴45W-4B基因的N端信号肽和C端17个疏水氨基酸序列形成45W-4BX。设计特异性表达引物，PCR扩增目的片段，经BamHⅠ和EcoRⅠ酶切后与表达载体pGEX-4T-1连接转化BId感受态细胞。用酶切及PCR扩增鉴定阳性克隆，测序证明阅读框是否正确。用IPTG诱导表达，产物进行SDS-PAGE电泳，Western blot分析其活性。包涵体经纯化、透析复性后作为包被抗原检测囊虫猪和囊虫病人血清中的4B抗体。结果表明．截断的4BX（351bp）基因在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达。表达产物为相对分子质量40000的融合蛋白，并能被囊虫病人血清所识别。ELISA检测表明，囊虫病人血清中含有高滴度的4B抗体，所以45W-4BX的表达产物有可能作为候选抗原用于囊虫病的诊断和免疫预防。     

猪囊虫DNA疫苗pPCV的生物安全性

以猪囊虫DNA疫苗pPCV为研究对象,其生物安全性问题。将DNA疫苗pPCV以肌注方式免疫仔猪,分别于接种后1d、7d、4周、8周分离各组织,提取组织总DNA,利用PCR技术分析了质粒DNA在各组织的分布,以及与细胞基因组整合的可能性;同时采集环境样品,PCR法分析DNA疫苗上的CMV启动子基因、抗性基因和抗原基因在环境中发生转移和扩散的可能性。结果表明,在疫苗接种后第1天几乎所有组织都能检测到质粒DNA,随着时间的延续,仅在注射部位检测到质粒的存在,并且未发现质粒DNA整合入细胞基因组以及转化环境细菌。实验结果表明肌注DNA疫苗在注射部位以外组织中很快被清除,在注射部位组织及环境细菌中均未发现整合现象,因此认为该DNA疫苗对猪体和环境都是安全的。     

Taenia solium cysticercosis: immunity in pigs induced by primary infection

The present study demonstrates that pigs experimentally infected with Taenia solium eggs develop resistance to reinfection that lasts at least five months. Thirteen 2-month-old piglets were infected with eggs of Taenia solium. After 5 months, two pigs were euthanized and five were challenged with eggs from a second tapeworm. Nine months after the first infection, six pigs were challenged with a third tapeworm. All 11 challenged pigs were euthanized 2 months after reinfection. In order to confirm the infectivity of the eggs, several piglets were inoculated with each taenia. Two of the five pigs reinfected after 5 months did not develop metacestodes, two showed few caseous non-infective forms and in the fifth pig, 14% of the metacestodes were vesicular and 86% colloidal and caseous. In the six animals challenged 9 months after the first infection, three were heavily infected with vesicular metacestodes and the other three showed only colloid and caseous forms in muscles. All parasites found in brains were vesicular. We conclude that immunity due to primary infection lasts at least 5 months. At 2 months of infection antigens of 24 and 39-42 kDa were the most frequently recognised. In those pigs with only a few caseous cysts in muscles and/or vesicular ones in brains no antibodies were detected.     

猪带绦虫六钩蚴TSOL16基因的表达及免疫原性分析

本研究采用RT-PCR技术扩增猪带绦虫六钩蚴TSOL16免疫原基因,将扩增产物与pMD18-T载体连接,重组质粒经PCR、酶切鉴定后进行测序;构建TSOL16基因的pGEX-4T-1原核表达载体,用IPTG诱导表达后进行SDS-PAGE、Western blot分析;将所表达的蛋白免疫小鼠,经ELISA检测血清抗体验证其免疫原性。结果显示:所克隆的TSOL16基因片段长度为559bp,含有1个402bp的开放阅读框架,编码134个氨基酸,与已报道的猪带绦虫六钩蚴TSOL16基因核苷酸序列同源性为99%;表达的融合蛋白大小为40Ku,并能被猪带绦虫六钩蚴阳性血清所识别;免疫小鼠在1周后即检测到血清抗体,第30d即达到较高水平,说明该融合蛋白具有较好的免疫原性。     

Fractionation and characterisation of the cysticercus of Taenia solium

Fractionation by chromatography on Sephadex G-200 of a saline extract of Cysticercus cellulosae scolex antigen yielded three distinct fractions associated with distinct peaks. These fractions were analysed by double immunodiffusion (DID) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP). The three peaks gave five, four and three antigenic determinants, respectively, by DID with homologous hyperimmune rabbit serum. However, the same serum gave nine antigenic determinants of scolex antigen by DID and 11 components by IEP. The IEP demonstrated seven and five antigenic components in the first two peaks. The first peak gave a stronger reaction in indirect haemagglutination than the others. There were common antigenic components in C cellulosae and C tenuicollis antigens.     

Detection of Taenia solium Cysticercosis in Pigs by ELISA with an Excretory-Secretory Antigen

Serodiagnosis of Taenia solium cysticercosis in pigs was conducted by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with an excretory-secretory antigen. The antigen was obtained by in vitro cultivation of the cysticerci in a synthetic medium RPMI 1640. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA in detecting infection in pigs reared on free range was 92% and 100%, respectively. In addition, 33.33% of pigs in which infection could not be detected at meat inspection were found positive by ELISA. However, none of the sera from a group of farm-reared pigs were positive. No cross reactions were observed in pigs that contained either the cysticerci of Taenia hydatigena or hydatid cysts.     

Taenia solium porcine cysticercosis: viability of cysticerci and persistency of antibodies and cysticercal antigens after treatment with oxfendazole

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of treating Taenia solium infected pigs with oxfendazole (OFZ) on viability and clearance of cysticerci and the corresponding persistence of specific antibody isotypes (IgG(total), IgG1, IgG2 and IgA) and circulating cysticercal antigen (CCA). Antibody isotypes and CCA responses were measured by antibody-ELISA (Ab-ELISA) and antigen ELISA (Ag-ELISA), respectively. Correlations were made between antibodies, CCA and the total number of cysticerci enumerated at necropsy. Forty pigs with cysticercosis were randomly allocated into two groups: Treatment group (n=20) was treated with OFZ at 30 mg/kg orally while the treatment control group (n=20) was not treated. Five uninfected pigs served as negative controls. Pigs were killed at 1, 4, 8 and 26 weeks post-treatment (wkpt). Overall, the mean total cyst count in treated pigs was 2904+/-5397 (mean+/-S.D.) while in the controls it was 6235+/-6705. Mean cyst viability was 5+/-11% (mean+/-S.D.) and 97+/-4% in treated and control pigs, respectively. Results showed that OFZ killed muscular cysticerci over a period of 4 weeks but failed to kill cerebral cysticerci. Antibodies, CCA responses and clearance of dead cysts from the meat, depended on the cyst intensity of individual pigs at time of treatment since both antibody and CCA correlated with intensity of cysticerci at necropsy (r=0.441, P=0.005; r=0.654, P<0.001), respectively. IgG1 responses were the best indicator of treatment efficacy because they were predominant in both infected treated and control pigs and disappeared early after treatment. Both Ab/Ag-ELISA failed to detect cysts in the brain. Though dead cysticerci took some time (26 wkpt) to clear from the meat, treatment of porcine cysticercosis with OFZ should, in combination with other intervention measures be considered as an important, cost-effective measure in the control of taeniosis/cysticercosis.     

猪带绦虫六钩蚴抗原基因的克隆与表达

以λｇｔ１１为载体构建了猪带绦虫六钩蚴ｃＤＮＡ文库，从中筛选出５株表达六钩蚴抗原成分的重组噬菌体。将其中的六钩蚴ｃＤＮＡ与表达质粒ｐＧＥＸ－４Ｔ２连接，在ＴＧ１大肠杆菌中高效表达，获得了２株表达ＧＳＴ－六钩蚴抗原融合蛋白（Ｍｒ分别为５×１０４和６×１０４）的工程菌。在ＬＢ营养液中添加１％乳糖和０．２％葡萄糖，工程菌的表达效果优于用ＩＰＴＧ诱导的效果。融合蛋白约占工程菌总蛋白的２３％。     

Oncospheres of Taenia solium develop into cysticerci in normal mice

In vitro-hatched oncospheres of Taenia solium, prepared by the sodium hypochlorite method and adjusted to approximately 5 x 10(2)/2ml phosphate buffer saline, were injected intramuscularly or intravenously into normal Balb/c mice. When these mice were sacrificed 2 months later, all cysticerci were exclusively recovered in the lungs from the mice with intravenous inoculation, but not with intramuscular injection. A high infection rate of 76% was obtained and a total of 45 cysticerci were collected from 50 mice. Thirty-five cysticerci were mature and with normal appearance but the rest were either with abnormal appearance (4) or degenerated (6). These findings give strong evidence that T. solium oncospheres may migrate to the normal mouse lung through venous circulation and develop in this organ.     

Comparative immunoelectrophoretic analysis of Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia hydatigena and Taenia pisiformis cyst fluid antigens by hyperimmune rabbit sera.

Cyst fluid antigens of Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia hydatigena and T pisiformis were examined by electrophoresis using homologous and heterologous hyperimmune rabbit sera to these antigens. While arc 5 forming antibodies were identified in sera from rabbits immunised with E granulosus and T hydatigena cyst fluids, antibodies responsible for forming precipitating antigen B band were detected in rabbit antisera to E granulosus, T hydatigena and T pisiformis antigens. T hydatigena cyst fluid appears to contain antigen similar to E granulosus antigen 5 and probably antigen B while T pisiformis cyst fluid has mainly an antigen close to hydatid antigen B.     

双向电泳结合蛋白质印迹技术分析猪囊尾蚴乳酸脱氢酶

为了研究猪囊尾蚴乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)的表达,试验选择四川省雅江县呷拉乡猪带绦虫病患者,给其口服槟榔-南瓜子驱虫,收集、制备虫卵悬液(8万个/mL),再给3头20日龄三元杂交乳猪猪灌胃虫卵悬液,每头1 mL,40 d后收集、制备猪囊尾蚴蛋白,进行双向电泳(2-DE)分析,将凝胶蛋白斑点转移至聚偏氟乙烯膜(PVDF膜),用自制的大鼠抗猪带绦虫LDH血清作为一抗、健康大鼠血清作为阴性对照进行蛋白质印迹(Western-blotting)分析。结果表明:双向电泳凝胶共检测到(207±9)个蛋白质斑点,相对分子质量(Mr)为14 400～94 000,等电点(pI)为3.0～10.0;试验组特异性抗原抗体阳性杂交斑点为1个,阴性对照未见阳性杂交斑点;将Western-blotting检测的抗原抗体阳性杂交斑点与原双向电泳凝胶斑点进行比对,找到对应蛋白斑点,经ImageMaster 2D Platinum 5.0软件分析后初步确定该蛋白斑点的pI/Mr为7.03/35 368,与猪带绦虫LDH的pI/Mr理论推导值接近,说明猪囊尾蚴表达LDH。     

Persistence of passively transferred antibodies in porcine Taenia solium cysticercosis. Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru.

We evaluated the presence and persistence of anticysticercal antibodies in piglets born to Taenia solium infected sows. Infected sows from a disease-endemic area of Peru were transported to a nondisease-endemic area and impregnated. Serum samples were collected from sows and piglets on Day 2 through Week 35 after birth. Using an immunoblot specific for cysticercosis, Ig isotypes to 7 cyst antigens were measured and quantified. Serum samples from the piglets contained detectable antibodies from Week 1 through Week 35 (27 weeks after weaning). The primary Ig isotype present in both sows and piglets was IgG. Antibodies did not appear in piglet serum samples until after suckling, demonstrating that anti-cysticercal antibodies are transferred solely via colostrum. Our data have shown that maternally transferred antibodies to cyst antigens may persist through much of a pig's life. Therefore, the presence of passively transferred antibodies must be considered in studies that examine the prevalence of cysticercosis in pigs. Furthermore, when designing control strategies for cysticercosis, careful evaluation and selection of sentinel pigs becomes a crucial component of sentinel selection.