USE OF A RECOMBINANT ANTIGEN, SAG2, EXPRESSED AS A GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE FUSION PROTEIN TO IMMUNIZE MICE AGAINST TOXOPLASMA-GONDII

The capacity of Toxoplasma gondii surface protein SAG2 to induce prote ctive immunity against the parasite in mice was studied using recombin ant SAG2 expressed as a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein incorporated into immune stimulating complexes (iscoms). Immunization with the iscoms resulted in the production of antibodies recognizing SAG2 as well as GST. After oral challenge infection with T. gondii ooc ysts or tissue cysts, no protective effect was observed. On the contra ry, mice immunized with fusion SAG2 or with GST iscoms died earlier th an non-immunized control mice.