The utility of recombinant Toxoplasma gondii surface antigen P22 for the detection of specific T. gondii antibodies in human sera was evaluated. Polymerase chain reaction was used to produce a 438-bp fragment of the P22 gene; the fragment corresponded to the amino acids predicted to be in the processed, native antigen. The fragment was subcloned into pGEX-2T and was expressed in Escherichia col...

CD4(+) T cells play an important role in antitumor immune responses and autoimmune and infectious diseases. Although many major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted tumor antigens have been identified in the last few years, little is known about MHC class II- restricted human tumor antigens recognized by CD4(+) T cells. Here, we describe the identification of a novel melanoma ant...

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the etiological agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia (EP), leading to a mild and chronic in swine. Relative control has been attained through active vaccination programs, but remains significant economic challenge swine industry. Cellular immunity plays key role prevention pneumonia. Therefore, development more efficient vaccine that confers strong against M. necessar...

A DNA construct encoding cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) and an anti-diabetic peptide from human heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) as a fusion protein was produced and transferred into low-nicotine tobacco through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration of the fusion gene into the plant genome was confirmed by PCR. The transcriptional expression of the fusion gene was demonstrated by RTPCR...

Recognition and clearance of many intracellular pathogens requires the activation and subsequent effector functions of CD8+ T lymphocytes. To stimulate CD8+ T cells by immunization, the target antigens must be delivered into the cytosol of host cells. There they can be processed into peptides and presented in the context of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules to antigen-specific ...

Diarrhea continues to be a leading cause of death in children <5 years of age, and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the most common bacterial cause of children's diarrhea. Currently, there are no available vaccines against ETEC-associated diarrhea. Whole-cell vaccine candidates have been under development but require further improvements because they provide inadequate protection and ...

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor (T) antigen is the major regulatory protein that directs the course of viral infection, primarily by interacting with host cell proteins and modulating their functions. Initiation of viral DNA replication requires specific interactions of T antigen bound to the viral origin of DNA replication with cellular replication proteins. Transcription factors are though...

Nano-sized hepatitis B virus core virus-like particles (HBc-VLP) are suitable for uptake by antigen-presenting cells. Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10) is an important vaccine candidate against tuberculosis. The purified antigen shows low immune response without adjuvant and tends to have low protective efficacy. The present study is based on the assumption...

PURPOSE CD11c is an antigen receptor predominantly expressed on dendritic cells (DC), to which antigen targeting has been shown to induce robust antigen-specific immune responses. To facilitate targeted delivery of tumor antigens to DCs, we generated fusion proteins consisting of the extracellular domain of human HER or its rat homologue neu, fused to the single-chain fragment variable specific...