Immunogenetics of Toxoplama gondii informs vaccine design

Trends Parasitol. 2010 Jun 25. [Epub ahead of print]

Immunogenetics of Toxoplama gondii informs vaccine design

Henriquez FL, Woods S, Cong H, McLeod R, Roberts CW.

School of Science, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, PA1 2BE, UK.

Abstract
A series of studies over 20 years mapped resistance to toxoplasmic encephalitis in mice to major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) and ultimately, more precisely the Ld region. This is consistent with contemporary functional studies that demonstrated a protective role for CD8(+) T cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Ld gene product presents a number of immunodominant Toxoplasma gondii-derived peptides in the murine models, providing a paradigm for vaccine design. The almost complete sequencing of the genomes of the predominant strains of T. gondii in conjunction with the development of predictive binding algorithms for MHC I peptides in humans now offers a new opportunity for vaccine development against this medically important pathogen. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PMID: 20580611 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]