Characterization and protective potential of the immune response to Taeniasolium paramyosin in a murine model of cysticercosis

Paramyosin has been proposed as a vaccine candidate in schistosomiasis and filariasis. However, limited information is available about its protective potential against cysticercosis and the immune response it induces. Immuniz ation of mice with recombinant full-length paramyosin of Taenia solium (TPm y) results in about a 52% reduction in parasite burden after a subsequent c hallenge by intraperitoneal inoculation of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Im munization assays using recombinant fragments of TPmy, corresponding approx imately to thirds on the amino, central, or carboxyl regions, suggest that protective epitopes are located mostly in the amino-end third. Proliferatio n assays using T cells obtained from mice immunized with the full-length re combinant TPmy also showed a preferential response to the amino-terminal fr agment. In contrast, antibodies in the sera from these mice predominantly r ecognize epitopes located in the carboxyl-terminal fragment, being the immu noglobulin G1 subclass, the predominant antibody isotype. Characterization of the cellular immune response induced against the protective amino-termin al fragment reveals production of gamma interferon and interleukin-2, but n ot interleukin-4, suggesting a Th1-like profile.