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Infection and Immunity, January 2006, p. 528-536, Vol. 74, No. 1
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/IAI.74.1.528-536.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary Health Sciences Centre, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
Received 16 August 2005/ Returned for modification 20 September 2005/ Accepted 30 September 2005
The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica causes invasive amoebiasis characterized by amoebic dysentery and liver abscesses (ALA). The E. histolytica galactose/N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable lectin (Gal-lectin), an immunogenic surface molecule involved in colonization and invasion, is a promising vaccine candidate against amoebiasis. Gal-lectin is known to induce Th1 cytokines in macrophages and spleen cells in vitro, and a Th1 response is thought to be protective against ALA. In this study, we report the use of cytosine guanine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) as adjuvant to augment Th1 responses against Gal-lectin in the gerbil model of ALA. Gerbils were vaccinated intramuscularly with the native Gal-lectin plus CpG-ODN or a paired non-CpG control GpC-ODN, and control gerbils received CpG-ODN alone. One week after the last boost gerbils were challenged intrahepatically with 106 amoebae. Gerbils receiving CpG-ODN as adjuvant with Gal-lectin were completely protected against the development of ALA, whereas 50% of gerbils receiving GpC-ODN and Gal-lectin developed ALA and 85% of controls developed ALA. Stronger lymphoproliferation in response to the Gal-lectin and higher prechallenge titers of serum Gal-lectin-specific antibodies, capable of blocking amoebic adherence, were observed when CpG-ODN was used as adjuvant. Gerbils vaccinated with CpG-ODN and Gal-lectin also had significantly higher levels of gamma interferon, interleukin-12 (IL-12), and IL-2 mRNA than controls. These data indicate that CpG-ODN can enhance the Th1 responses, which improve the protective effects of Gal-lectin. This is the first report of the use of CpG as a potent Th1 adjuvant with Gal-lectin to increase protection against ALA formation.
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