Entamoeba histolytica: cloning, expression and evaluation of the efficacy of a recombinant amebiasis cysteine proteinase gene (ACP1) antigen in minipig.

The amebiasis cysteine proteinase gene (ACP1) encoding an antigen from Entamoeba histolytica, as well as the recombinant ACP1, obtained by cloning and expression of the ACP1 gene in heterologous host Escherichia coli BL-21 (DE3), were used to evaluate their ability to induce immune protective responses in minipig against challenge infection in a minipig -E. histolytica model. There was a 64.52% reduction (P<0.001) in the group of recovery of challenged E. histolytica compared with that in the control group. Specific anti-ACP1 antibodies from immune protected minipig had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (P<0.001). Our data indicate recombinant ACP1 may be a potential target as a vaccine antigen.