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ABSTRACT: To study the molecular mechanism of suppressed growth caused by Trichinella spiralis, an SP2/0 myeloma model was established using parasite-infected Balb/c mice. Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was then utilized to identify differentially expressed genes between tumor cells from the infected and non-infected mice. On the 11th day after infection, 2×106 SP2/0 myeloma cells were subcutaneously inoculated into 6-8 week old female Balb/c mice in both the experimental and control groups. Twenty-eight days after tumor cell inoculation, the mice were euthanized and the sizes and weights of the tumors were measured. Messenger RNA was isolated and used to perform SSH. Putative differentially expressed genes were identified, sequenced and analyzed by BLASTn. Among the sequences detected which ranged in size between 180 and 850bp, genes encoding RpL41, NKTR, Rbbp4 and ANXA2 were enriched and considered possible proteins involved in tumor growth inhibition.
Veterinary Parasitology 02/2013; · 2.58 Impact Factor
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Shijie Li, Wenzhi Ren,
Wei Li,
Na Zhao,
Guangpeng Ma,
Pengtao Gong,
Qianzhong Han,
Weizhi Li,
Ju Yang,
Jianhua Li,
Xichen Zhang
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ABSTRACT: The IPSE/alpha-1 gene (IL-4-inducing principle of Schistosoma mansoni eggs) is a major secreted glycoprotein of S. mansoni eggs that has a potent IL-4-inducing effect. To test the hypothesis that the immune evasion mechanism can be used to overcome the xenograft immune response, the IPSE/alpha-1 gene was transferred into pig fibroblasts, and the transgenic cells were transplanted into KM mice by subcutaneously injecting 10(5)cells per mouse. Cytokine levels were measured to examine the immune response polarization by real-time PCR and ELISA. Mice injected with pig fibroblasts containing a pIRES2-EGFP expression vector were used as a control group. In this group, both cellular and humoral immune responses were activated to reject the grafts alongside increases in all measured cytokine levels. In contrast, the experimental group injected with cells constitutively expressing the IPSE/alpha-1 gene demonstrated a significant decrease in Th1 response cytokines and a significant increase in Th2 response cytokines compared with the control group. These results imply that constitutive IPSE/alpha-1 expression can shift the Th1/Th2 balance of xenograft rejections toward the Th2 response while suppressing the Th1 response. In conclusion, IPSE/alpha-1 could influence the polarization of immune responses during xenograft rejection and suppress the Th1 response. Therefore, this parasitic immune evasion mechanism could be helpful in overcoming xenograft rejection.
Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 01/2013; · 2.08 Impact Factor
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Pengtao Gong,
Xiangsheng Huang,
Qinlei Yu,
Yunna Li,
Jingui Huang,
Jianhua Li,
Ju Yang,
He Li,
Guocai Zhang, Wenzhi Ren,
Xichen Zhang
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ABSTRACT: Toxoplasmosis is a world-wide zoonosis that causes significant public health and veterinary problems. The study of vaccines remains the most promising method for the future prevention and control of toxoplasmosis. Recombinant Toxoplasma gondii cyclophilin has been shown to have potent PPIase and IL-12-inducing activities, thus promoting the stabilisation of T. gondii's life cycle and maintaining the survival of its host during evolution. In the present study, the T. gondii cyclophilin gene was used to construct a DNA vaccine (pVAX1-TgCyP). The immune response and protective efficacy of the vaccine against T. gondii infection in BALB/c mice were evaluated. All BALB/c mice that were vaccinated with pVAX1-TgCyP developed a high response with TgCyP-specific antibodies, and significant splenocyte proliferation (P<0.05) compared with pVAX1 vector and PBS groups. pVAX1-TgCyP also induced a significant Th1 type immune response, indicated by the higher production of IL-2 and IFN-γ (P<0.05). The survival rate of BALB/c mice increased significantly after vaccination with pVAX1-TgCyP (37.5%) (P<0.05). These results indicate that TgCyP is a highly efficacious vaccine candidate that can generate protective immunity against T. gondii infection in BALB/c mice. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Parasite Immunology 12/2012; · 2.60 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cryptosporidium andersoni parasited in the abomasum has been demonstrated as a cause of reduction of milk production in dairy cow. In this study, a novel chimeric DNA vaccine pVAX1-AB was constructed and the efficacy against Cryptosporidium parvum was determined. BALB/c mice were divided into 3 groups and immunized with DNA vaccine expressing the oocyst wall protein, AB protein of C. andersoni, the recombinant plasmid containing the AB gene, respectively. After inoculation of 1 × 10(6) oocysts of C. parvum, the humoral and cellular immune responses were detected. Experimental results showed that the recombinant plasmid can induce corresponding specific antibody response, simultaneously influenced cellular immune responses, and provided greater protection rate (48.6%) than the other groups. These results indicated that chimeric DNA vaccine has a potential in Cryptosporidium vaccine development.
Veterinary Parasitology 02/2011; 179(1-3):7-13. · 2.58 Impact Factor
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Jiazhang Qiu,
Xiaoran Zhang,
Mingjing Luo,
Hongen Li,
Jing Dong,
Jianfeng Wang,
Bingfeng Leng,
Xiaoliang Wang,
Haihua Feng, Wenzhi Ren,
Xuming Deng
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ABSTRACT: The pathogenicity of staphylococcus aureus is dependent largely upon its ability to secrete a number of virulence factors, therefore, anti-virulence strategy to combat S. aureus-mediated infections is now gaining great interest. It is widely recognized that some plant essential oils could affect the production of staphylococcal exotoxins when used at subinhibitory concentrations. Perilla [Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton], a natural medicine found in eastern Asia, is primarily used as both a medicinal and culinary herb. Its essential oil (perilla oil) has been previously demonstrated to be active against S. aureus. However, there are no data on the influence of perilla oil on the production of S. aureus exotoxins.
A broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of perilla oil against S. aureus strains. Hemolysis, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) release, Western blot, and real-time RT-PCR assays were performed to evaluate the effects of subinhibitory concentrations of perilla oil on exotoxins production in S. aureus. The data presented here show that perilla oil dose-dependently decreased the production of α-toxin, enterotoxins A and B (the major staphylococcal enterotoxins), and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) in both methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
The production of α-toxin, SEA, SEB, and TSST-1 in S. aureus was decreased by perilla oil. These data suggest that perilla oil may be useful for the treatment of S. aureus infections when used in combination with β-lactam antibiotics, which can increase exotoxins production by S. aureus at subinhibitory concentrations. Furthermore, perilla oil could be rationally applied in food systems as a novel food preservative both to inhibit the growth of S. aureus and to repress the production of exotoxins, particularly staphylococcal enterotoxins.
PLoS ONE 01/2011; 6(1):e16160. · 4.09 Impact Factor
