Development of a novel squalene/α-tocopherol-based self-emulsified nanoemulsion incorporating Leishmania peptides for induction of antigen-specific immune responses.

Vaccination has emerged as the most effective strategy to confront infectious diseases, among which is leishmaniasis, that threat public health. Despite laborious efforts there is still no vaccine for humans to confront leishmaniasis. Multi-epitope protein/peptide vaccines present a number of advantages, however their use along with appropriate adjuvants that may also act as antigen carriers is considered essential to overcome subunit vaccines' low immunogenicity.

Intramuscular Immunization with a Liposomal Multi-Epitope Chimeric Protein Induces Strong Cellular Immune Responses against Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Control of the intracellular parasite (.) requires the activation of strong type 1 cellular immune responses. Towards this goal, in the present study, a multiepitope chimeric protein named LiChimera was encapsulated into cationic liposomes and its protective efficacy against experimental visceral leishmaniasis was investigated.

A liposomal vaccine promotes strong adaptive immune responses via dendritic cell activation in draining lymph nodes.

Subunit proteins provide a safe source of antigens for vaccine development especially for intracellular infections which require the induction of strong cellular immune responses. However, those antigens are often limited by their low immunogenicity. In order to achieve effective immune responses, they should be encapsulated into a stable antigen delivery system combined with an appropriate adjuvant.

Immunoinformatics Approach to Design a Multi-Epitope Nanovaccine against Parasite: Elicitation of Cellular Immune Responses.

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by an intracellular parasite of the genus with different clinical manifestations that affect millions of people worldwide, while the visceral form may be fatal if left untreated. Since the available chemotherapeutic agents are not satisfactory, vaccination emerges as the most promising strategy for confronting leishmaniasis. In the present study, a reverse vaccinology approach was adopted to design a pipeline starting from proteome analysis of three different species and ending with the selection of a pool of MHCI- and MHCII-binding epitopes.

Transcriptional Profiling of Infected Dendritic Cells: Insights into the Role of Immunometabolism in Host-Parasite Interaction.

parasites are capable of effectively invading dendritic cells (DCs), a cell population orchestrating immune responses against several diseases, including leishmaniasis, by bridging innate and adaptive immunity. on the other hand has evolved various mechanisms to subvert DCs activation and establish infection. Thus, the transcriptional profile of DCs derived from bone marrow (BMDCs) that have been infected with parasite or of DCs exposed to chemically inactivated parasites was investigated via RNA sequencing, aiming to better understand the host-pathogen interplay.

A Canine-Directed Chimeric Multi-Epitope Vaccine Induced Protective Immune Responses in BALB/c Mice Infected with .

Leishmaniases are complex vector-borne diseases caused by intracellular parasites of the genus . The visceral form of the disease affects both humans and canids in tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean regions. One health approach has suggested that controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) could have an impact on the reduction of the human incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL).

Development of a Nanoparticle-based Lateral Flow Strip Biosensor for Visual Detection of Whole Nervous Necrosis Virus Particles.

Effective analysis of pathogens causing human and veterinary diseases demands rapid, specific and sensitive detection methods which can be applied in research laboratory setups and in field for routine diagnosis. Paper lateral flow biosensors (LFBs) have been established as attractive tools for such analytical applications. In the present study a prototype LFB was designed for whole particles (virions) detection of nodavirus or fish nervous necrosis virus.

Vaccination with poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles loaded with soluble antigens and modified with a TNFα-mimicking peptide or monophosphoryl lipid A confers protection against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) persists as a major public health problem, and since the existing chemotherapy is far from satisfactory, development of an effective vaccine emerges as the most appropriate strategy for confronting VL. The development of an effective vaccine relies on the selection of the appropriate antigen and also the right adjuvant and/or delivery vehicle. In the present study, the protective efficacy of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs), which were surface-modified with a TNFα-mimicking eight-amino-acid peptide (p8) and further functionalized by encapsulating soluble antigens (sLiAg) and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), a TLR4 ligand, was evaluated against challenge with parasites in BALB/c mice.

Identification of BALB/c Immune Markers Correlated with a Partial Protection to Leishmania infantum after Vaccination with a Rationally Designed Multi-epitope Cysteine Protease A Peptide-Based Nanovaccine.

Background: Through their increased potential to be engaged and processed by dendritic cells (DCs), nanovaccines consisting of Poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with both antigenic moieties and adjuvants are attractive candidates for triggering specific defense mechanisms against intracellular pathogens. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immunogenicity and prophylactic potential of a rationally designed multi-epitope peptide of Leishmania Cysteine Protease A (CPA160-189) co-encapsulated with Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) in PLGA NPs against L. infantum in BALB/c mice and identify immune markers correlated with protective responses.

PLGA nanoparticles modified with a TNFα mimicking peptide, soluble Leishmania antigens and MPLA induce T cell priming in vitro via dendritic cell functional differentiation.

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) represent a new approach for vaccine delivery due to their ability to be taken up by phagocytes and to activate immune responses. In the present study PLGA NPs were surface-modified with a TNFα mimicking peptide, and encapsulated soluble Leishmania antigens (sLiAg) and MPLA adjuvant. The synthesized PLGA NPs exhibited low cytotoxicity levels, while surface-modified NPs were more efficiently taken up by dendritic cells (DCs).

Development of a Novel Allele-Specific PCR Method for Rapid Assessment of Nervous Necrosis Virus Genotypes.

Viral nervous necrosis infections are causing severe problems on aquaculture industry due to ecological and economic impacts. Their causal agent is nervous necrosis virus or nodavirus, which has been classified into four genotypes. Different genotypes correlate with differences in viral pathogenicity.

Nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor for visual detection of fish nervous necrosis virus amplification products.

Lateral flow paper biosensors are an attractive analytical platform for detection of human and veterinary disease pathogens because they are optimal for accurate, rapid and sensitive analysis in research laboratory setups, as well as field analysis. Since diseases of viral etiology have been wreaking havoc in aquaculture industry, as well as the environment, the present study aims at the development of a gold nanoparticle-based biosensor for fish nervous necrosis virus (Nodavirus) nucleic acids detection. Total viral RNA, isolated from fish samples was subjected to reverse transcription PCR amplification.

Effect of dietary incorporation of a multi-strain probiotic on growth performance and health status in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Dietary supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic containing Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactobacillus reuteri has been examined for its effects on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, non-specific immune response and antioxidant status of rainbow trout. Three groups of sub-adult trout were stocked into experimental tanks. A commercial diet was used as control, while the other two groups received diets supplemented with the multi-strain probiotic at levels of 1 and 5 g kg(-1) diet.

Cellular vaccination with bone marrow-derived dendritic cells pulsed with a peptide of Leishmania infantum KMP-11 and CpG oligonucleotides induces protection in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis.

The use of dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with defined Leishmania antigens could be a potential immune intervention tool for the induction of protection against infection. In the present study, bone marrow-derived DCs (BM-DCs) pulsed ex vivo with the peptide 12-31aa portion of kinetoplastid membrane protein (KMP)-11 (KMP-11(12-31aa) peptide) acquired a semimature phenotype expressing IL-12 and IL-10, whereas pulsing with the combination of the peptide and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) resulted in their functional maturation expressing mainly IL-12. Vaccination of genetically susceptible to parasite BALB/c mice with both peptide-pulsed BM-DCs elicited a peptide-specific mixed Th1/Th2 immune response, characterized by the production of IFNγ, IL-10 and IgG1 and IgG2a isotype antibodies.