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  • Title: Prevention of intestinal amebiasis by vaccination with the Entamoeba histolytica Gal/GalNac lectin.
    Author: Houpt E, Barroso L, Lockhart L, Wright R, Cramer C, Lyerly D, Petri WA.
    Journal: Vaccine; 2004 Jan 26; 22(5-6):611-7. PubMed ID: 14741152.
    Abstract:
    Prevention of intestinal infection by Entamoeba histolytica would block both invasive disease and parasite transmission. The amebic Gal/GalNAc lectin mediates parasite adherence to the colonic surface and fecal anti-lectin IgA is associated with protection from intestinal reinfection in children. We tested if vaccination with the E. histolytica Gal/GalNAc lectin could prevent cecal infection in a C3H mouse model of amebic colitis. Two trials using native lectin purified from the parasite and two trials using a 64 kDa recombinant fragment ("LecA") were performed with a combined intranasal and intraperitoneal immunization regimen using cholera toxin and Freund's adjuvants, respectively. Two weeks after immunization mice were challenged intracecally with trophozoites, and 4-12 weeks after challenge mice were sacrificed for histopathologic evaluation of infection. Vaccination prevented intestinal infection with efficacies of 84 and 100% in the two native lectin trials and 91 and 34% in the two LecA trials. Mice with detectable pre-challenge fecal anti-lectin IgA responses were significantly more resistant to infection than mice without fecal anti-lectin IgA responses. These results show for the first time that immunization with the Gal/GalNAc lectin can prevent intestinal amebiasis in mice and suggest a protective role for fecal anti-lectin IgA in vivo.
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