a recombinant chimera protein as a novel brucella subunit vaccine: protective efficacy and induced immune response in balb/c mice

Background: brucellosis is one of themaincauses of economic loss in domestic animals due to abortions and infertility. brucella is a facultative intracellular pathogen that survives in other cell types in addition to phagocytes. t cell mediated responses are necessary to eradicate the infection due to brucella. objectives: in this study the potential of recombinant protein rtf/bp26/omp31 as a novel brucella subunit vaccine, protective efficacy, and immune response was evaluated in balb/c mice. methods: after in silico design of rtf/bp26/omp31 structure, the gene was cloned and expressed in escherichia coli bl21 (de3). finally, purified protein by ni-nta was used as immunogenic to immunized mice. results: mice immunized with rtf/bp26/omp31 showed a vigorous humoral and cellular mediated immunity; results were compatible with igg1 and igg2a levels as well as high amounts of ifn- , il-12, il-4 and il-10 production in immunized mice, compared with control groups (p < 0.05). compared to control groups, mice vaccinated with rtf/bp26/omp31 showed a significant response and protection against subsequent brucella infection (p < 0.05). conclusions: statistical analyses indicate similar responses in immunized mice exposed to rtf/bp26/omp31, compared with b. abortus rb51 and b. melitensis rev.1 vaccines. these results showed the potential of rtf/bp26/omp31 as a candidate for the development of a subunit vaccine against brucellosis.