Abstract
Paracoccidioidomycosis is a granulomatous systemic mycosis endemic in Brazil and other Latin America countries. A DNA vaccine encoding the immunoprotective peptide 10 (P10) significantly reduced the fungal burden in mice when given prior to or after intratracheal challenge with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Presently, the generation/expansion of CD4+ CD44hi memory T cells as well as Foxp3+ Treg cells in mice immunized with the DNA vaccine (pcDNA3-P10) before and after infection with P. brasiliensis was investigated. Memory CD4+ CD44hi T cells simultaneously with Foxp3+ Treg cells increased in the spleens and lungs of pcDNA3-P10 immunized mice on day 0, 30, 60 and 120 postinfection. Histopathology of the lung tissue showed minimal inflammation in immunized mice compared with the unimmunized group, suggesting a role for regulatory T cells in controlling the immunopathology. The DNA vaccine shows that the repeated immunization generates memory cells and regulatory T cells that replace the initially protective pro-inflammatory T cells conferring a long term protection while preserving the integrity of the infected tissue.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 181-191 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Microbes and Infection |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2013 |
Keywords
- Immunization
- P10 peptide
- Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
- Regulatory T cells
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases