A complement regulatory protein (CRP) of Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated as a vaccine candidate in a murine model of experimental T. cruzi infection. Recombinant CRP derived from an Escherichia coli expression system and a plasmid encoding the full-length crp structural gene under the control of a eukaryotic promoter were used to immunize BALB/c mice. Immunization with both protein and DNA vaccines resulted in a Th1-type T-cell response, comparable antibody titers, and similar immunoglobulin G isotype profiles. Only mice immunized with the crp DNA plasmid produced antibodies capable of lysing the parasites in the presence of complement and were protected against a lethal challenge with T. cruzi trypomastigotes (Sepulveda et al., 2000).
Sepulveda et al., 2000: Sepulveda P, Hontebeyrie M, Liegeard P, Mascilli A, Norris KA. DNA-Based immunization with Trypanosoma cruzi complement regulatory protein elicits complement lytic antibodies and confers protection against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Infection and immunity. 2000; 68(9); 4986-4991. [PubMed: 10948115].
