Immunoproteasome Subunits Are Required for CD8 T Cell Function and Host Resistance to Brucella abortus Infection in Mice.

The immunoproteasome is a specific proteasome isoform composed of three subunits, termed β1i, β2i, and β5i. Its proteolytic activity enhances the quantity and quality of peptides to be presented by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules to CD8 T cells. However, the role of the combined deficiency of the three immunoproteasome subunits in protective immunity against bacterial pathogens has not been investigated.

Kicking in the Guts: Schistosoma mansoni Digestive Tract Proteins are Potential Candidates for Vaccine Development.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease that represents a major health problem in at least 74 tropical and subtropical countries. Current disease control strategies consist mainly of chemotherapy, which cannot prevent recurrent re-infection of people living in endemic area. In the last decades, many researchers made a remarkable effort in the search for an effective vaccine to provide long-term protection.

Immunological characterization of a chimeric form of Schistosoma mansoni aquaporin in the murine model.

Aquaporin (SmAQP) is the most abundant transmembrane protein in the tegument of Schistosoma mansoni. This protein is expressed in all developmental stages and seems to be essential in parasite survival since it plays a crucial role in osmoregulation, nutrient transport and drug uptake. In this study, we utilized the murine model to evaluate whether this protein was able to induce protection against challenge infection with S.