Objective This study sought to obtain monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) against recombinant protein of the N-terminal end of paramyosin (rTsP3) from Trichinella spiralis. Methods BALB/c mice were immunized with rTsP3. Spleen cells of immunized mice were fused with myeloma cells SP2/0 and hybridoma cell strains secreting high-titer McAbs were selected. Then,the ascites were prepared and purified. The titer of culture supernatants and ascites and sub-classes and affinity of McAbs were detected by indirect ELISA. The specificity of the McAbs was also examined by Western blotting. Results Two hybridoma cell lines that consistently secreted anti-rTsP3 McAbs have been established. The isotypes of McAbs were determined to be IgG2bκ and IgG1κ,and their respective affinity constants were 8.98×108 mol/L,9.7×108 mol/L. Western blotting revealed crude somatic extracts from T. spiralis adult worms,and rTsP3 and recombinant paramyosin (rTsPmy) were specifically recognized by McAbs. Conclusion Two McAbs against rTsP3 that recognized paramyosin of T. spiralis were obtained.
To identify immunodominant antigens of Toxocara canis recognised by Toxocara-infected sera as recombinant reagents for immunodiagnosis of toxocariasis.Pooled sera from human cases of toxocariasis were used to identify immunodominant antigens by immunoscreening a T. canis larval expression cDNA library. The positive clones were sequenced to reveal the identity of the antigens. The recombinant proteins were expressed in E. coli and then used to confirm their immunoreaction with sera of humans with toxocariasis. Two chosen antigens were also used to differentiate Toxocara infection from other helminth infections in mice.Eleven antigens with immunodiagnostic potential were identified, including two C-type lectins (CTLs) that reacted strongly with the Toxocara-positive serum pool. The first CTL (Tc-CTL-1) is the same as TES-32, previously identified as a major immunodominant component of TES; the second CTL (Tc-CTL-2) is a novel C-type lectin sharing 83% amino acid sequence identity within the functional domain of Tc-CTL-1. The E. coli-expressed recombinant Tc-CTL-1 was strongly recognised by the Toxocara-positive serum pool or sera from animals experimentally infected with T. canis. Reactivity with recombinant Tc-CTL-1 was higher when the unreduced protein was used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dot-blot assay or Western blot test compared to the protein under reduced condition. Both recombinant Tc-CTL-1- and Tc-CTL-2-based ELISAs were able to differentiate T. canis infection from other helminth infections in experimentally infected mice.Both Tc-CTL-1 and Tc-CTL-2 were able to differentiate Toxocara infection from other helminth infections and could potentially be used as sensitive and specific immunodiagnostic antigens.
There is an urgent need for an accessible and low-cost COVID-19 vaccine suitable for low- and middle-income countries. Here, we report on the development of a SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein, expressed at high levels in yeast (Pichia pastoris), as a suitable vaccine candidate against COVID-19. After introducing two modifications into the wild-type RBD gene to reduce yeast-derived hyperglycosylation and improve stability during protein expression, we show that the recombinant protein, RBD219-N1C1, is equivalent to the wild-type RBD recombinant protein (RBD219-WT) in an in vitro ACE-2 binding assay. Immunogenicity studies of RBD219-N1C1 and RBD219-WT proteins formulated with Alhydrogel® were conducted in mice, and, after two doses, both the RBD219-WT and RBD219-N1C1 vaccines induced high levels of binding IgG antibodies. Using a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, we further showed that sera obtained after a two-dose immunization schedule of the vaccines were sufficient to elicit strong neutralizing antibody titers in the 1:1,000 to 1:10,000 range, for both antigens tested. The vaccines induced IFN-γ IL-6, and IL-10 secretion, among other cytokines. Overall, these data suggest that the RBD219-N1C1 recombinant protein, produced in yeast, is suitable for further evaluation as a human COVID-19 vaccine, in particular, in an Alhydrogel® containing formulation and possibly in combination with other immunostimulants.