US20130287786A1 - Canine babesiosis vaccine antigen - Google Patents

Canine babesiosis vaccine antigen Download PDF

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US20130287786A1
US20130287786A1 US13/997,805 US201113997805A US2013287786A1 US 20130287786 A1 US20130287786 A1 US 20130287786A1 US 201113997805 A US201113997805 A US 201113997805A US 2013287786 A1 US2013287786 A1 US 2013287786A1
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polypeptide
vaccine
cba
nucleotide sequence
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Theodorus Petrus Maria Schetters
Karina Moubri-Menage
Jose Kleuskens
Andreas Walter Claudius Rohwer
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Intervet Inc
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K39/002—Protozoa antigens
    • A61K39/015—Hemosporidia antigens, e.g. Plasmodium antigens
    • A61K39/018—Babesia antigens, e.g. Theileria antigens
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P33/00—Antiparasitic agents
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P33/00—Antiparasitic agents
    • A61P33/02—Antiprotozoals, e.g. for leishmaniasis, trichomoniasis, toxoplasmosis
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07H—SUGARS; DERIVATIVES THEREOF; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; NUCLEIC ACIDS
    • C07H21/00—Compounds containing two or more mononucleotide units having separate phosphate or polyphosphate groups linked by saccharide radicals of nucleoside groups, e.g. nucleic acids
    • C07H21/04—Compounds containing two or more mononucleotide units having separate phosphate or polyphosphate groups linked by saccharide radicals of nucleoside groups, e.g. nucleic acids with deoxyribosyl as saccharide radical
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/44—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from protozoa
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00—Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/18—Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
    • C07K16/20—Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans from protozoa
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/51—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies comprising whole cells, viruses or DNA/RNA
    • A61K2039/515—Animal cells
    • A61K2039/5156—Animal cells expressing foreign proteins
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/51—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies comprising whole cells, viruses or DNA/RNA
    • A61K2039/52—Bacterial cells; Fungal cells; Protozoal cells
    • A61K2039/523—Bacterial cells; Fungal cells; Protozoal cells expressing foreign proteins
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/51—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies comprising whole cells, viruses or DNA/RNA
    • A61K2039/53—DNA (RNA) vaccination
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/55—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the host/recipient, e.g. newborn with maternal antibodies
    • A61K2039/552—Veterinary vaccine
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
    • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
    • A61K2039/55566—Emulsions, e.g. Freund's adjuvant, MF59
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
    • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
    • A61K2039/55577—Saponins; Quil A; QS21; ISCOMS
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2333/00—Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature
    • G01N2333/435—Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature from animals; from humans
    • G01N2333/44—Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature from animals; from humans from protozoa

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of veterinary parasitology, especially of canine Babesiosis.
  • the invention relates to a polypeptide being a novel canine Babesia antigen (CBA), or fragments thereof, and to compositions comprising this antigen, to nucleic acids encoding the antigen, antibodies against the antigen, and medical uses of this antigen, fragments, antibodies, or encoding nucleic acids.
  • CBD canine Babesia antigen
  • the invention relates to the use of such components in vaccines against canine Babesiosis.
  • the protozoal micro-organisms of the genus Babesia are tick-borne intra-erythrocytic parasites of the order Piroplasmida, in the phylum Apicomplexa.
  • Babesia species are subdivided along several criteria, amongst others by the tick vector(s) present in the environment that can transmit a specific species of Babesia parasite.
  • the tick vector in turn determines the geographical spread of the parasite and the vertebrate host that is infected.
  • an alternative is the prevention or amelioration of Babesiosis by vaccination of a target animal, which in this case is the host on which the ticks may feed, and which host as a result may become infected with Babesia .
  • vaccines comprise an immunologically effective amount of an antigenic molecule of the tick, or of the Babesia parasite, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • a parasite such as Babesia is a highly complex organism, it has proven extremely difficult to identify individual antigens for vaccination of a target animal, that allow the generation of an immune response that is quick, safe and effective. In fact, this is one of the greatest challenges for parasite immunology in general today.
  • Babesia parasites can infect a wide variety of vertebrate animals, but the infections of domestic mammals and of humans are of most relevance to veterinary practice and medicine. Although several Babesia species can infect canine animals, the most prevalent canine Babesia are for Europe: B. canis , and for Sub-Saharan and Southern Africa: B. rossi.
  • B. canis canis The canine Babesias were in the past taxonomically classified as subspecies of B. canis , thus as: B. canis canis , and B. canis rossi , etc., following a proposal for a trinomial nomenclature system (Uilenberg et al., 1989, Vet. Quart., vol. 1, p. 33-40).
  • B. canis canis the canine Babesias were in the past taxonomically classified as subspecies of B. canis , thus as: B. canis canis , and B. canis rossi , etc., following a proposal for a trinomial nomenclature system (Uilenberg et al., 1989, Vet. Quart., vol. 1, p. 33-40).
  • B. canis canis B. canis rossi , etc.
  • B. canis and B. rossi are so-called “large” species of canine Babesia , i.e. larger than the radius of an erythrocyte.
  • B. canis is transmitted by tick vectors of the genus Dermacentor , and B. rossi by Haemaphysalis ticks.
  • B. rossi parasites are the most pathogenic of the canine Babesia species; B. canis parasites are somewhat less pathogenic.
  • the main symptoms of disease are anaemia or an immuno-pathology resembling malaria. Other symptoms are renal failure, pulmonary oedema, and general shock response. Animals that do recover may suffer relapses later on.
  • Jacobson & Clark (1994, J. of S. Afr. Vet. Assoc., vol. 65, p. 134-145).
  • a homologous vaccination was not effective for B. rossi : SPA from a culture of B. rossi parasites could not protect dogs against B. rossi induced infection and disease.
  • a further disadvantage of the known crude SPA based Babesia vaccines is that they contain remains of lysed normal erythrocytes, which themselves could cause auto-immune responses against the red blood cells of the vaccinated animal. For those reasons, there is an urgent need for a canine Babesiosis vaccine that circumvents at least some of the above disadvantages.
  • CBA canine Babesia antigen
  • the different CBA polypeptides have in common a calculated molecular weight of about 30 kDa (e.g. between about 29 and 33 kDa), a relatively acid pl (e.g. between about 4.6-4.8), and have an N-terminal signal sequence (e.g. between about 16-18 amino acids) which corresponds to the fact that the CAB polypeptides are actively secreted by the Babesia upon infection of an erythrocyte.
  • the members of this novel class of Babesia antigens share conserved amino acid sequence regions, each of which characterises the CBA polypeptides and distinguishes them from known polypeptides.
  • VLMVLTKCNLKMHVTEEQL (SEQ ID NO: 3) represented by the C-terminus of CBA-2.1, was also compared to known polypeptides. The best match was found to have only 11 of the 19 amino acids, which represents an amino acid identity of 57.9%.
  • CBA-1 (as cDNA) 10 mRNA sequence of B. rossi CBA-2.1 (as cDNA) 11 mRNA sequence of B. rossi CBA-2.2 (as cDNA) 12 Genomic sequence of B. canis CBA-1 13 Genomic sequence of B. rossi CBA-2.1 14 Genomic sequence of B. rossi CBA-2.2 15 Core aa sequence of characterising region 1
  • Characterising region 1 Characterising region 2: amino acid sequence MLLSNVSFPQPVSSVKLLEEY VLMVLTKCNLKMHVTEEQL
  • Characterising region 2 amino acid sequence MLLSNVSFPQPVSSVKLLEEY VLMVLTKCNLKMHVTEEQL
  • canis CBA-1 16/21 (76.2%) 14/19 (73.7%)
  • characterising region 2 appeared in canine Babesia species with an identity of at least 68%, whereas the best homologue in the public databases was not more than 57% identical.
  • a Blast search for a molecule containing both regions did not produce any matches.
  • polypeptides identified herein are therefore characterized by the presence of a region of high homology or identity with an amino acid sequence according to either or both of SEQ ID NO's 1 and 2.
  • the invention therefore relates to an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having an amino acid sequence identity greater than 53% with the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, and/or having an amino acid sequence identity greater than 58% with the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein said polypeptide is capable of inducing an immune response against a canine Babesia parasite and/or its products or effects.
  • polypeptide refers to a molecular chain of amino acids.
  • a polypeptide is not of a specific length, structure or shape and can, if required, be modified in vivo or in vitro, by, e.g. glycosylation, amidation, carboxylation, phosphorylation, pegylation, or changes in spatial folding.
  • proteins, peptides, oligopeptides are included within the definition of polypeptide.
  • a polypeptide can be of biologic and/or of synthetic origin.
  • isolated is to be interpreted as: isolated from its natural environment. This also applies to the purification of the CBA polypeptide (or its encoding nucleic acid) in compositions to amounts that are higher than the amount of other substances in that composition, preferably in a much higher amount such that the polypeptide or nucleic acid makes up for 70% or 80% or 90% or more of the total composition. Preferably, the polypeptide or nucleic acid makes up for 92%, 94%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or even 99% of the total composition.
  • amino acid sequence identity is to be interpreted as the percentage of identical amino acids at corresponding positions when two amino acid sequences are optimally aligned over their full length. Alignment can conveniently be performed with a computer program, for instance with Blast® or ClustalW®, using default parameters.
  • the term “capable of inducing an immune response” refers to the capacity of the CBA polypeptides according to the invention to induce an immune response that is effective against infection or disease caused by canine Babesia parasites.
  • Such an effective immune response is for example the prophylaxis, prevention or amelioration of Babesiosis and/or of the parasitaemia of Babesia parasites in canines.
  • Such an immune response can take different forms, and can function via different branches of the immune system, from the innate and/or the acquired immune system, and may be of the cellular and/or of the humoral type.
  • the presence or the induction of such an immune response can be detected by well known techniques, and additionally in ways as described herein.
  • antibodies against CBA can be detected e.g. by Elisa, immunofluorescence, immunoblot etc.
  • the cellular immune response can be detected by lymphocyte stimulation assays or in vivo skin reactions.
  • Further methods include the monitoring of the immunised patients' symptoms or its physiological responses typically associated with Babesia infection and disease such as: packed cell volume (also: haematocrit), number of infected erythrocytes, spleen size, etc., in addition to general behavioural scores.
  • polypeptides of the invention when applied in a vaccine are capable of preventing or reducing the infection and/or the disease caused by that infection resulting from canine Babesia parasite infection.
  • a “canine Babesia ” is a Babesia parasite that can infect a canine animal. Typically these are Babesia canis, B. rossi, B. vogeli and B. gibsoni , but other species of Babesia have also been described or associated with canine infections (Uilenberg, 2006, Veterinary Parasitology vol. 138, p. 3-10). With respect to the precise taxonomic classification of Babesia , the skilled person will realise this may change over time as new insights lead to reclassification into new or other taxonomic groups.
  • Canines relates to all (sub-)species of Canidae, mainly dogs, wolves and foxes, as well as any mixed breeds.
  • the immunologic efficacy of the polypeptides according to the invention against Babesiosis affects different Babesia species in a different way; vaccination may prevent parasitaemia as well as disease for one species, but only counter disease for another (see e.g. Schetters et al., 1997, Parasitology, vol. 115, p. 485-493).
  • the CBA polypeptide of the invention could not be isolated directly from SPA, because the SPA is a crude mixture of many different components from erythrocytes, from Babesia , and from components of the animal serum that is required for the culture, up to levels of 40% v/v.
  • CBA could only be identified on an immunoblot when the inventors used serum from a canine that had first been vaccinated multiple times with SPA, and subsequently had been challenge-infected with Babesia , so-called: vaccination-challenge serum.
  • this vaccination-challenge serum needed to be obtained at a very specific period after challenge: between day 6 and day 11. Serum from before or after that period was not able to show the faint reactivity with a CBA polypeptide, having a relative molecular weight of approximately 41 kDa.
  • amino acid sequence identity to either of SEQ ID NO's 1 and/or 2 is at least 58%, preferably at least 59% such as 60% or 62%, 64%, 66%, 68%, 70%, 71%, 73%, 75% or 76%.
  • polypeptides according to the invention are characterized in that they comprise an amino acid sequence that has an amino acid sequence identity greater than 58% with one or more amino acid sequence(s) selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4 and SEQ ID NO: 5.
  • group consisting of is a closed term, used in claim drafting to signal a “Markush group” that is by its nature closed and is used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
  • the CBA polypeptides according to the invention are characterised in that they have an amino acid sequence identity greater than 29% with at least one amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7 and SEQ ID NO: 8.
  • the identity percentage for this embodiment is to be calculated over the full length of the CBA polypeptide as in SEQ ID NO: 6, 7, or 8.
  • the term “greater than 29%” may be interpreted as at least 30%, 32%, 35%, 39%, 43%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 88%, 90%, 92%, 94%, 96%, 98%, or even more than 98%.
  • the characterising region no. 1 itself comprises a core sequence that is perfectly conserved between CBA polypeptides from B. canis and B. rossi .
  • This sequence: PVSSVKLL (SEQ ID NO: 15) was not found in any known polypeptide with an 8/8 (100%) amino acid sequence identity; therefore it may serve to further characterise a CBA polypeptide according to the invention.
  • polypeptide according to the invention comprises an amino acid sequence that is: PVSSVKLL (SEQ ID NO: 15).
  • the SEQ ID NO: 15 sequence is present in a polypeptide according to the invention in the N-terminal region of the mature polypeptide.
  • the invention also relates to an immunogenic fragment of the polypeptide according to the invention.
  • Such an immunogenic fragment can be obtained in a well known way, using the information provided herein. For example by generating tryptic digests of the CBA polypeptides, and testing the immunogenicity of the fragments obtained. Or the fragments can be synthesized and tested as in the well known PEPSCAN method (WO 84/003564, WO 86/006487, and Geysen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1984, vol. 81, p. 3998-4002). Alternatively, immunogenically relevant areas can be predicted by using well known computer programs. An illustration of the effectiveness of using these methods was published by Margalit et al. (1987, J. of Immunol., vol. 138, p. 2213-2229) who describe success rates of 75% in the prediction of T-cell epitopes.
  • polypeptides in order to be immunogenic need to be of a minimal length; typically 8-11 aa for MHC I receptor binding, and 11-15 aa for MHC II receptor binding (reviewed e.g. by Germain & Margulies, 1993, Annu. Rev. Immunol., vol. 11, p. 403-450). Therefore, for the invention, an immunogenic fragment of the polypeptide according to the invention is at least 8 amino acids in length.
  • Polypeptide fragments that still do not generate an effective immune response may be presented to a target's immune system attached to, or in the context of a carrier molecule.
  • a carrier molecule such as bacterial toxoids, such as Tetanus toxoid or Diphteria toxoid; alternatively KLH, BSA, or bacterial cell-wall components (derived from) lipid A, etc. may be used.
  • polymers may be useful, or other particles or repeated structures such as virus like particles etc.
  • the coupling to a carrier molecule can be done by methods known in the art, using chemical or physical techniques.
  • the CBA polypeptides according to the invention, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, may be of biological or synthetic origin, and may be obtained by isolation, purification, assembly etc.
  • the polypeptides can be isolated from in vivo or in vitro cultures of canine Babesia parasites. However the polypeptides are more conveniently produced by using a recombinant expression technology, by expression of a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptides or the fragment.
  • the invention relates to an isolated nucleotide sequence that is capable of encoding the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, according to the invention.
  • nucleotide sequence being “capable of encoding” a polypeptide is well known in the art, and relates to the central dogma of molecular biology on gene-expression and protein production: a DNA is transcribed into RNA, and the RNA is translated into a protein.
  • a nucleotide sequence capable of encoding a polypeptide is called an: open reading frame (ORF), indicating that no undesired stop-codons are present that would prematurely terminate the translation into protein by a ribosome.
  • ORF open reading frame
  • Said nucleotide sequence may be a gene (i.e. an ORF encoding a complete protein), or be a gene-fragment. It may be of natural or synthetic origin.
  • the invention advantageously provides the mRNA and the genomic sequences for a number of CBA polypeptides.
  • the genome of B. rossi was found to comprise two separate genes encoding two different versions of the CBA polypeptide, the genome of B. canis only contained one CBA gene.
  • the CBA mRNA sequences (in cDNA format) are presented in SEQ ID NO's: 9-11, and the CBA genomic sequences in SEQ ID NO's: 12-14 (see Table 1).
  • intron location % of gene CBA gene is intron B.
  • canis CBA-1 (SEQ ID NO: 12) 170-203 408-550 15
  • rossi CBA-2.1 (SEQ ID NO: 13) 173-207 406-569 19
  • rossi CBA-2.2 (SEQ ID NO: 14) 170-204 406-552 18
  • the CBA genes can conveniently be employed for a variety of goals, e.g. to express and produce the CBA polypeptides according to the invention.
  • different nucleic acids can encode one and the same protein. This is a result of what is known in molecular biology as “wobble”, or the “degeneracy of the genetic code”, wherein several codons or triplets of mRNA will cause the same amino acid to be attached to the chain of amino acids growing in the ribosome during translation. It is most prevalent in the second and especially the third base of each triplet encoding an amino acid. This phenomenon can result in a heterology of about 30% for two different nucleic acids that still encode the same protein. Therefore, two nucleic acids having a nucleotide sequence identity of only about 70% can still encode one and the same protein.
  • the nucleotide sequence according to the invention has a nucleotide sequence identity greater than 70% with at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13 and SEQ ID NO: 14.
  • nucleotide sequence identity level As is also well known, an alternative way to characterise a nucleotide sequence by its nucleotide sequence identity level, is not by computer analysis, but by a physical measurement; conveniently this can be done by an assay testing hybridisation under conditions of increasing stringency.
  • the nucleotide sequence according to the invention can hybridise under stringent conditions to at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13 and SEQ ID NO: 14.
  • hybridise refers to the process of binding (also called: annealing, or: sequence-specific basepairing) between two strands of nucleic acids.
  • annealing or: sequence-specific basepairing
  • the nucleic acids can be DNA or RNA, as long as they are single stranded and unfolded. Under the proper conditions, target and probe will bond by forming hydrogen-bridges between A and T, and between G and C nucleotides.
  • the target nucleic acid will be a larger molecule of DNA (a plasmid, a chromosome, or genome), or a (m)RNA, and the probe is usually a DNA (because that is more stable than RNA), single stranded, and smaller than the target, e.g. between 50 and 5000 bases.
  • Stringency in practice is determined mainly as a function of salt concentration and temperature used for the hybridisation and the washing steps in a hybridisation test protocol. The qualification of stringent conditions follows from the formula for the melting temperature Tm from Meinkoth & Wahl (1984, Anal. Biochem., vol. 138, p. 267-284):
  • Tm [ 81.5° C.+16.6(log M )+0.41(% GC ) ⁇ 0.61(% formamide) ⁇ 500 /L] ⁇ 1° C./1% mismatch
  • M is the molarity of monovalent cations
  • % GC is the percentage of guanosine and cytosine nucleotides in the DNA
  • L is the length of the hybrid in base pairs
  • ‘mismatch’ is the lack of an identical match.
  • high salt and low temperature are “low” stringent conditions; and low salt and high temperature are highly stringent.
  • specific hybridization and washing conditions one may set a certain level of stringency, and thereby determine the minimal level of thermal stability that needs to exist between the DNA-DNA (or RNA-DNA) duplexes that will form, and will sustain.
  • the standard buffer used to set the stringency is SSC buffer (Saline sodium citrate), wherein the standard “20 ⁇ ” SSC buffer contains 3 Molar NaCl and 0.3 M citrate in water at pH 7. This way, a very low stringency would be washing in 20 ⁇ SSC at room temperature (3 M salt, and 20° C.), and the highest stringency would be boiling in distilled water (no salt, and 100° C.).
  • stringent conditions are those conditions under which a nucleotide sequence can still hybridise if it has a mismatch of 30% or less (i.e. if there is nucleotide sequence identity of more than 70%) to a nucleotide sequence according to the invention. More preferably, conditions under which a nucleotide sequence having about 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% nucleotide sequence identity, can remain hybridized to a nucleotide sequence according to the invention.
  • a preferred, non-limiting example of stringent hybridization conditions for the invention is hybridization in 2-6 ⁇ SSC and 0.5% SDS at about 45° C., followed by one or more washes (e.g., about 5 to 30 min each) in 0.5-2 ⁇ SSC, 0.1% SDS at 45-65° C.
  • the nucleotide sequence according to the invention can conveniently be used in a variety of ways.
  • One example is for diagnostic purposes, via a variety of methods and technologies, for example for the detection of an infection of a canine host with Babesia parasites.
  • Routinely nucleotide sequences such as those according to the invention are conveniently manipulated in the context of a vector, such as a DNA plasmid, enabling their amplification in e.g. bacterial cultures, and their manipulation in a variety of molecular biological techniques.
  • a vector such as a DNA plasmid
  • a wide variety of suitable plasmid vectors is available commercially.
  • nucleotide sequences according to the invention When the nucleotide sequences according to the invention are to be used for the expression of polypeptides, they need to be in a context that allows the transcription into mRNA and translation into protein.
  • nucleotide sequence needs to be provided with the proper regulatory signals to initiate transcription and translation, for instance being operatively linked to a promoter and a stop codon when the nucleic acid is a DNA; or to a polyA tail when the nucleic acid is an mRNA.
  • the invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence according to the invention.
  • nucleotide sequence is under the control of a functionally linked promoter.
  • nucleotide sequence [ . . . ] under the control of a functionally linked promoter are all well known in the art; a ‘promoter’ is a regulatory section of DNA that can initiate RNA transcription. For the promoter to achieve this effect, it needs to ‘control’ a section of DNA that can be transcribed, such as an ORF or a gene.
  • the element of being ‘functionally linked’ to the reading frame that is to be expressed means that no sequence elements are present in between these two that would prevent the promoters' function.
  • a promoter is located immediately upstream of the ATG startcodon of an ORF. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the choice of a promoter for the invention extends to any eukaryotic, prokaryotic or viral promoter capable of directing the transcription, provided that the promoter is functional in the expression system used.
  • nucleic acid By way of a nucleic acid according to the invention, modifications can be made to the inserted nucleotide sequence e.g. insertions, deletions, or mutations, using common techniques of restriction enzyme digestion or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • additional nucleotide sequences may be added. This may result in the final nucleotide sequence comprised in the nucleic acid being larger than the sequences required for encoding a CBA polypeptide according to the invention. Also, when such additional elements are inserted in the reading frame, these become an integral part of the expressed CBA polypeptide; such fused polypeptides are also within the scope of the invention.
  • a preferred fused polypeptide for the invention is one as described in WO 2004/007525: by attaching a hydrophobic peptide to a core polypeptide, the fusion polypeptide more efficiently interacts with free saponin as an adjuvant.
  • hydrophobic peptides for fusion are described, for example a C-terminal section of decay accelerating factor (CD55).
  • a nucleic acid according to the invention can conveniently be used for so-called DNA vaccination'.
  • a nucleic acid according to the invention is introduced into a target, where the nucleic acid is taken up into cells, the nucleotide sequence comprised becomes expressed, and the polypeptide produced is presented to the target's immune system generating an immune response.
  • the DNA can be introduced in a variety of ways, and can be in different forms either as naked DNA or attached to or encapsulated by a carrier, for example gold-particles.
  • a nucleic acid according to the invention can also be used advantageously to express and produce a CBA polypeptide, or an immunogenic fragment thereof, according to the invention.
  • Recombinant expression systems for that purpose commonly employ a host cell, being cultured in vitro.
  • host cells from bacterial, yeast, fungal, insect, or vertebrate cell expression systems.
  • the invention relates to a host cell comprising a nucleotide sequence or a nucleic acid according to the invention.
  • a host cell to be used for expression of a CBA polypeptide according to the invention may be a cell of bacterial origin, e.g. from Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus sp. or Caulobacter crescentus , possibly in combination with the use of bacteria-derived plasmids or bacteriophages for expressing the sequence encoding a CBA polypeptide.
  • the host cell may also be of eukaryotic origin, e.g. yeast-cells in combination with yeast-specific vector molecules; or higher eukaryotic cells, like insect cells (Luckow et al., 1988, Bio-technology, vol. 6, p.
  • vectors or recombinant baculoviruses in combination with vectors or recombinant baculoviruses; or plant cells in combination with e.g. Ti-plasmid based vectors or plant viral vectors (Barton, et al., 1983, Cell, vol. 32, p. 1033); or mammalian cells like Hela cells, Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, or Madin-Darby canine kidney-cells, also with appropriate vectors or recombinant viruses.
  • Ti-plasmid based vectors or plant viral vectors Barton, et al., 1983, Cell, vol. 32, p. 1033
  • mammalian cells like Hela cells, Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, or Madin-Darby canine kidney-cells, also with appropriate vectors or recombinant viruses.
  • Plant cell, or parasite-based expression systems are attractive expression systems.
  • Parasite expression systems are e.g. described in the French Patent Application, number 2,714,074.
  • Plant cell expression systems for polypeptides for biological application are e.g. discussed by Fischer et al. (Eur. J. of Biochem. 1999, vol. 262, p. 810-816), and Larrick et al. (Biomol. Engin. 2001, vol. 18, p. 87-94).
  • Expression may also be performed in so-called cell-free expression systems.
  • Such systems comprise all essential factors for expression of an appropriate recombinant nucleic acid, operably linked to a promoter that will function in that particular system. Examples are the E. coli lysate system (Roche, Basel, Switzerland), or the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system (Promega corp., Madison, USA).
  • An efficient way to express a nucleotide sequence or a nucleic acid according to the invention in a host cell, or even in an animal, is by their incorporation in a carrier that can enter host cells or a host animal.
  • the carrier is a live recombinant carrier micro-organism (LRCM's) that can enter the host without damaging it.
  • the invention relates to a live recombinant carrier micro-organism comprising a nucleotide sequence or a nucleic acid according to the invention.
  • Such live recombinant carrier micro-organisms are e.g. the bacteria, parasites, viruses and yeast cells, may all be used to infect a host animal.
  • the replication of the LRCM in the host animal can be a way to produce the polypeptide or fragment according to the invention, which can subsequently be isolated and used for e.g. vaccination or diagnostic purposes.
  • the LRCM can also conveniently be used for vaccination directly; for instance as a delivery vehicle for the polypeptide or the fragment according to the invention to that host animal, and in that way vaccinate the host animal.
  • This route of presentation to the host's immune system may be more effective than by vaccination as a subunit protein with an adjuvant, because a replicating micro-organism is closer to the natural way of infection by Babesia , and can resemble the route CBA polypeptides or their immunogenic fragments are presented to the immune system in a natural infection.
  • a further advantage of LRCM's is their self-propagation, so that only low amounts of the recombinant carrier are necessary for an immunisation.
  • LRCM's are micro-organisms that can replicate in a canine animal, which are not (too) pathogenic to the animal, and preferably for which molecular biological tools are available for their recombination and manipulation.
  • Examples are attenuated or non-pathogenic isolates of bacteria: Ehrlichia, Leptospira or Borrelia ; parasites: Leishmania , or Neospora (preferably as in WO 04/026,903), or even Babesia itself; or viruses: Canine parvovirus, distemper virus, pox virus, hepatitis virus, parainfluenza virus, or rabies virus.
  • an LRCM For the construction of an LRCM the well known technique of in vitro homologous recombination can be used to stably introduce a nucleic acid according to the invention into the genome of an LRCM. Alternatively the nucleic acid can also be introduced into an LRCM for transient or episomal expression.
  • an effect of the choice of a certain expression system is the level of post-translational processing of the expressed protein that is applied; e.g. a prokaryotic expression system will not attach any glycosylation signals to the polypeptide produced, whereas insect, yeast or mammalian systems do attach N- and/or O-linked glycosylation, of increasing complexity.
  • the proper choice will be that system giving the best balance of polypeptide amount and immunological effectiveness.
  • polypeptides according to the invention may be modified during or after translation, and this may be done biologically or synthetically. Examples are glycosylation or pegylation.
  • a particular advantageous modification for the invention is the addition of a so-called GPI anchor (Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol), a well-known and highly immunogenic modification of some expressed parasitic polypeptides.
  • a further aspect of the invention relates to an isolated antibody that can bind specifically to the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, according to the invention.
  • an “antibody” is an immunoglobulin or an immunologically active part thereof, for instance a fragment that still comprises an antigen binding site, such as a single chain antibody or a Fab, Fv, scFv, dAb, or Fd fragment, all well known in the art.
  • Antibodies are characterised by their specificity, i.e. by the molecule that they bind to with such strength that it can be differentiated from any non-specific or background binding, usually by way of diluting out the specific antibody.
  • antibodies are commonly produced by (over-)immunising a donor animal with the target polypeptide, and harvesting the antibodies produced from the animal's serum.
  • Well known donors are rabbits and goats.
  • Another example are chickens which can produce high levels of antibodies in the egg-yolk, so-called IgY.
  • antibodies can be produced in vitro, e.g. via the well known monoclonal antibody technology from immortalized B-lymphocyte cultures (hybridoma cells), for which industrial scale production systems are known.
  • antibodies or fragments thereof may themselves be expressed in a recombinant expression system, through expression of the cloned Ig heavy- and/or light chain genes.
  • Such antibodies can conveniently be used for a variety of applications, particularly diagnostics and vaccinations. Diagnostics are described herein below.
  • the use of antibodies in vaccinations relates to so-called passive vaccines.
  • the antibodies are preferably adapted to fit the general characteristics of antibodies from the target; in this case the antibodies would be taninised'.
  • CBA polypeptides, fragments, and nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides or fragments is in their medical use, in particular for vaccination.
  • the invention relates to the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, the nucleic acid, the live recombinant carrier micro-organism, or the antibody, all according to the invention, or a combination of any of these components, for use in a vaccine for canines against Babesiosis.
  • the invention relates to a vaccine for canines against Babesiosis, comprising the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, the nucleic acid, the live recombinant carrier micro-organism, or the antibody, all according to the invention, or a combination of any of these components, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • Such medical uses according to the invention result in improving the immunity of canines, to achieve the prophylaxis, prevention or amelioration of Babesiosis and/or parasitaemia by Babesia parasites in canines.
  • This is demonstrated on the one hand by the origin of the CBA peptides disclosed herein, namely from SPA which is well known to be immunologically protective.
  • this follows from the details as provided in the examples section herein, in particular the animal experiment and the results of the antibody competition-assay, as demonstrated by AlphaLisa®.
  • the skilled person can readily observe the difference the vaccine according to the invention makes to a target canine, by monitoring the symptoms of disease normally caused by Babesia infection, especially: anaemia and changes to the packed cell volume or haematocrit, temperature, renal function, behaviour, etc.
  • the parasitaemia of Babesia parasites in a host can easily be determined by light-microscopic counting of the number of erythrocytes that contain Babesia parasites in a blood-smear, as described by Jarra and Brown for malaria (1985, Parasite Immunol., vol. 7, p. 595-606).
  • the sample can be counterstained, for instance with Giemsa stain.
  • Parasitaemia can then be presented as the percentage of infected- over non-infected erythrocytes, or can be presented as the total number of infected erythrocytes in a fixed number of studied erythrocytes. This in turn can be calculated per day, or as a cumulative total over the duration of the parasitaemia, the so-called ‘parasite load’.
  • parasitaemia is expressed as parasite load, wherein the 10 Log value of the number of parasite-infected erythrocytes per 10 5 erythrocytes in daily blood samples taken from the vena jugularis are cumulated over the duration of the time that the parasites can be detected.
  • Babesia parasitaemia occurs between 3 and 14 days post challenge, with a peak between 5 and 10 days post challenge.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is capable of reducing the parasitaemia caused by B. rossi infection of a vaccinated target animal by more than 70%.
  • the reduction of parasitaemia is by 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 97, or even 100%, in that order of preference.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is capable of reducing signs of disease caused by B. canis infection by more than 50%, preferably more than 60, 70, 80, 85, 90, 95, 97, or even 100%, in that order of preference.
  • the symptoms of disease caused by the infection with Babesia can be expressed in a clinical score, so that the effect of vaccination on clinical scores of vaccinated and unvaccinated target animals upon infection can than be compared.
  • Tables for rating such clinical scores can be set up by the skilled person, for example as described by Schetters et al., 1994 (Vet. Parasitol., vol. 52, p. 219-233) for the symptoms of B. canis infection in dogs.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is capable of reducing the clinical scores of vaccinated hosts infected with Babesia with 50%, more preferably with 60, 70, 80, 90, or even 100%, in that order of preference.
  • a further advantageous effect of vaccination as described for the invention is the prevention or reduction of the spread of Babesia infection through the canine population, the so-called horizontal spread of infection. This is because ticks that are as yet uninfected; when feeding on vaccinated canines are less likely to become infected, and thus will not readily spread Babesia infection to a further canine. Consequently, this leads to a reduction of the prevalence of Babesia in the tick vectors of a certain geographical area, and in turn to less transmission of Babesia to new canine hosts.
  • the vaccine works as a transmission-blocking vaccine.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is capable of reducing the prevalence of Babesia in the tick vectors of a geographical area.
  • the invention in a further aspect relates to a method for the preparation of the vaccine according to the invention, the method comprising the admixing of the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, the nucleic acid, the live recombinant carrier micro-organism, or the antibody according to the invention, or a combination of any of these components, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • the method according to the invention also comprises the expression of the nucleotide sequence, or the nucleic acid according to the invention in a recombinant expression system as described above.
  • the invention relates to the use of the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, the nucleic acid, the live recombinant carrier micro-organism, or the antibody according to the invention, or a combination of any of these components, for the manufacture of a vaccine against Babesiosis in canines.
  • the invention relates to a method of vaccination of a canine against Babesiosis, comprising the step of inoculating said canine with a vaccine according to the invention.
  • vaccine implies the presence of an immunologically effective amount of the polypeptide, or an immunogenic fragment, according to the invention, and the presence of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • an immunologically effective amount for the vaccine according to the invention is dependent on the desired effect and on the specific characteristics of the vaccine that is being used. Determination of the effective amount is well within the skills of the routine practitioner, for instance by monitoring the immunological response following vaccination, or after a challenge infection, e.g. by monitoring the targets' clinical signs of disease, serological parameters, or by re-isolation of the pathogen, and comparing these to responses seen in unvaccinated animals.
  • a vaccine induces an immune response that aids in preventing, ameliorating, reducing sensitivity for, or treatment of a disease or disorder resulting from infection with a micro-organism.
  • the protection is achieved as a result of administering (a composition containing) one ore more antigens derived from that micro-organism, such as an attenuated or killed micro-organism and/or a subunit thereof.
  • a composition containing one ore more antigens derived from that micro-organism, such as an attenuated or killed micro-organism and/or a subunit thereof.
  • This will cause the target animal to show a reduction in the number, or the intensity of clinical signs caused by the micro-organism.
  • This may be the result of a reduced colonization or of a reduced infection rate by the micro-organism, leading to a reduction in the number or the severity of lesions and effects that are caused by the micro-organism or by the target's response thereto.
  • a “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is intended to aid in the effective administration of a compound, without causing (severe) adverse effects to the health of the animal to which it is administered.
  • a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can for instance be sterile water or a sterile physiological salt solution.
  • the carrier can e.g. be a buffer, which can comprise further additives, such as stabilisers or conservatives. Details and examples are for instance described in well-known handbooks e.g.: such as: “Remington: the science and practice of pharmacy” (2000, Lippincot, USA, ISBN: 683306472), and: “Veterinary vaccinology” (P. Pastoret et al. ed., 1997, Elsevier, Amsterdam, ISBN 0444819681).
  • the compounds used for the production of the vaccine according to the invention are serum free (without animal serum); protein free (without animal protein, but may contain other animal derived components), animal compound free (ACF; not containing any component derived from an animal); or even ‘chemically defined’, in that order of preference.
  • the vaccine according to the invention additionally comprises a stabiliser.
  • a vaccine is mixed with stabilizers, e.g. to protect degradation-prone components from being degraded, to enhance the shelf-life of the vaccine, and/or to improve freeze-drying efficiency.
  • stabilizers e.g. to protect degradation-prone components from being degraded, to enhance the shelf-life of the vaccine, and/or to improve freeze-drying efficiency.
  • these are large molecules of high molecular weight, such as lipids, carbohydrates, or proteins; for instance milk-powder, gelatine, serum albumin, sorbitol, trehalose, spermidine, Dextrane or polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and buffers, such as alkali metal phosphates.
  • the stabiliser is free of compounds of animal origin, or even: chemically defined, as disclosed in WO 2006/094,974.
  • preservatives may be added, such as thimerosal, merthiolate, phenolic compounds, and/or gentamicin.
  • the antigen according to the invention may be freeze-dried. In general this will enable prolonged storage at temperatures above zero ° C., e.g. at 4° C.
  • the vaccines according to the invention are characterised in that said vaccines are in a freeze-dried form.
  • a freeze-dried vaccine composition it is suspended in a physiologically acceptable diluent. This is commonly done immediately before use, to ascertain the best quality of the vaccine.
  • the diluent can e.g. be sterile water, or a physiological salt solution.
  • the diluent to be used for reconstituting the vaccine can itself contain additional compounds, such as an adjuvant.
  • it may be suspended in an emulsion as outlined in EP 382.271.
  • the adjuvant for the vaccine is supplied separately from the freeze dried cake comprising the rest of the vaccine, and is preferably comprised in a buffered diluent.
  • the freeze dried vaccine and the special diluent composition form a kit of parts that together embody the present invention.
  • the freeze dried vaccine is comprised in a kit of parts with at least two types of containers, one container comprising the freeze dried vaccine, and one container comprising an aqueous diluent comprising a buffer and a saponin adjuvant.
  • freeze-dried vaccine is in the form as disclosed in EP 799.613.
  • the vaccine according to the invention may additionally comprise a so-called “vehicle”.
  • a vehicle is a compound to which the proteins, protein fragments, nucleic acids or parts thereof, cDNA's, recombinant molecules, live recombinant carriers, and/or host cells according to the invention adhere, without being covalently bound to it.
  • Such vehicles are i.a. bio-microcapsules, micro-alginates, liposomes, macrosols, aluminium-hydroxide, -phosphate, -sulphate or -oxide, silica, Kaolin®, and Bentonite®, all known in the art.
  • An example is a vehicle in which the antigen is partially embedded in an immune-stimulating complex, the so-called ISCOW® (EP 109.942, EP 180.564, EP 242.380).
  • the vaccine according to the invention may comprise one or more suitable surface-active compounds or emulsifiers, e.g. Span® or Tween®.
  • the age, weight, sex, immunological status, and other parameters of the canines to be vaccinated are not critical, although it is evidently favourable to vaccinate healthy targets, and to vaccinate as early as possible to prevent any field infection.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can be applied within the first 2 weeks after birth, however the presence of maternally derived antibodies in colostrum may need to be factored in for an efficient vaccination at young age.
  • Target subjects for the vaccine according to the invention are canines that may be healthy or diseased, and may be seropositive or -negative for Babesia parasites or for antibodies to Babesia parasites.
  • the target canine can be of any age at which it is susceptible to the vaccination.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can equally be used as prophylactic and as therapeutic treatment, and interferes both with the establishment and/or with the progression of a Babesia infection or its clinical signs of disease.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can effectively serve as a priming vaccination, which can later be followed and amplified by a booster vaccination, for instance with a classical inactivated-adjuvanted vaccine.
  • the scheme of the application of the vaccine according to the invention to the target canine can be in single or multiple doses, which may be given at the same time or sequentially, in a manner compatible with the dosage and formulation, and in such an amount as will be immunologically effective.
  • the vaccines of the invention are advantageously applied in a single yearly dose.
  • the preparation of a vaccine according to the invention is carried out by means well known to the skilled person.
  • Such vaccine manufacture will in general comprise the steps of admixing and formulation of the components of the invention with pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, followed by apportionment into appropriate sized containers.
  • the various stages of the manufacturing process will need to be monitored by adequate tests, for instance by immunological tests for the quality and quantity of the antigens; by micro-biological tests for sterility and absence of extraneous agents; and ultimately by animal experiments for vaccine efficacy and safety. All these are well known to a skilled person.
  • a vaccine according to the invention may take any form that is suitable for administration to canine animals, and that matches the desired route of application and the desired effect.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can be in several forms, e.g.: a liquid, a gel, an ointment, a powder, a tablet, or a capsule, depending on the desired method of application to the target.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is formulated in a form suitable for injection, thus an injectable liquid such as a suspension, solution, dispersion, or emulsion.
  • an injectable liquid such as a suspension, solution, dispersion, or emulsion.
  • sterile are prepared sterile.
  • Vaccines according to the invention can be administered in amounts containing between 0.1 and 1000 ⁇ g of a polypeptide or fragment thereof according to the invention. Smaller or larger doses can in principle be used; preferably between 50 and 250 ⁇ g of the polypeptide is used per dose.
  • Vaccines according to the invention can be administered in a volume that is consistent with the target canine, for instance, one vaccine dose for a dog can be between 0.5 and 5 ml. Preferably one dose is between 1 and 3 ml.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can be administered to the canine target according to methods known in the art.
  • parenteral applications such as through all routes of injection into or through the skin: e.g. intramuscular, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intradermal, submucosal, or subcutaneous.
  • Alternative routes of application that are feasible are by topical application as a drop, spray, gel or ointment to the mucosal epithelium of the eye, nose, mouth, anus, or vagina, or onto the epidermis of the outer skin at any part of the body; by spray as aerosol, or powder.
  • application can be via the alimentary route, by combining with the food, feed or drinking water e.g. as a powder, a liquid, or tablet, or by administration directly into the mouth as a liquid, a gel, a tablet, or a capsule, or to the anus as a suppository.
  • the preferred application route is by intramuscular or by subcutaneous injection.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is advantageously used as a marker vaccine; a marker vaccine is known as a vaccine that allows the discrimination between vaccinated and field-infected subjects. This is determined e.g. by detection of a vaccine-characteristic antibody panel, that is different from the antibody panel induced by infection with the wild type infectious agent. Such difference is for instance obtained when an immunogenic protein present in or on a wild type micro-organism is not present in the vaccine. This can conveniently be detected by a serological assay such as an ELISA or immuno-fluorescence assay.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is a marker vaccine.
  • optimise the vaccine of the invention involves the fine-tuning of the efficacy of the vaccine, so that it provides sufficient immune-protection. This can be done by adapting the vaccine dose, or by using the vaccine in another form or formulation, or by adapting the other constituents of the vaccine (e.g. the stabiliser or the adjuvant), or by application via a different route.
  • the vaccine may additionally comprise other compounds, such as an adjuvant, an additional antigen, a cytokine, etc.
  • the vaccine according to the invention can advantageously be combined with a pharmaceutical component such as an antibiotic, a hormone, or an anti-inflammatory drug.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises an adjuvant.
  • adjuvant is a well known vaccine ingredient, which in general is a substance that stimulates the immune response of the target in a non-specific manner. Many different adjuvants are known in the art. Examples of adjuvants are Freund's Complete and -Incomplete adjuvant, vitamin E, non-ionic block polymers and polyamines such as dextransulphate, carbopol and pyran.
  • peptides such as muramyldipeptides, dimethylglycine, tuftsin, are often used as adjuvant, and mineral oil e.g. Bayol® or Markol®, vegetable oils or emulsions thereof and DiluvacForte® can advantageously be used.
  • mineral oil e.g. Bayol® or Markol®, vegetable oils or emulsions thereof and DiluvacForte® can advantageously be used.
  • Preferred adjuvant for the vaccine according to the invention is Saponin, more preferably Quil A®.
  • Saponin adjuvant is preferably comprised in the vaccine according to the invention, at a level between 10 and 10.000 ⁇ g/ml, more preferably between 100 and 500 ⁇ g/ml.
  • Saponin and vaccine components may be combined in an ISCOW® (EP 109.942, EP 180.564, EP 242.380).
  • the vaccine according to the invention can advantageously be combined with another antigen.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises an additional immunoactive component.
  • the “additional immunoactive component” may be an antigen, an immune enhancing substance, and/or a vaccine; either of these may comprise an adjuvant.
  • the additional immunoactive component when in the form of an antigen may consist of any antigenic component of human or veterinary importance. It may for instance comprise a biological or synthetic molecule such as a protein, a carbohydrate, a lipopolysacharide, a nucleic acid encoding a proteinaceous antigen. Also a host cell comprising such a nucleic acid, or a live recombinant carrier micro-organism containing such a nucleic acid, may be a way to deliver the nucleic acid or the additional immunoactive component. Alternatively it may comprise a fractionated or killed micro-organism such as a parasite, bacterium or virus.
  • the additional immunoactive component(s) may be in the form of an immune enhancing substance e.g. a chemokine, or an immunostimulatory nucleic acid, e.g. a CpG motif.
  • an immune enhancing substance e.g. a chemokine
  • an immunostimulatory nucleic acid e.g. a CpG motif.
  • the vaccine according to the invention may itself be added to a vaccine.
  • a vaccine according to the invention can be combined with a preparation of a parasitic subunit vaccine protein, not being a polypeptide according to the invention, to form a combination subunit vaccine against parasitic infection or associated clinical signs of disease.
  • the vaccine according to the invention is characterised in that the additional immunoactive component or nucleotide sequence encoding said additional immunoactive component is obtained from a micro-organism infective to canines.
  • canine pathogens are: Ehrlichia canis, Leishmania donovani -complex, Neospora caninum , Canine parvovirus, Canine distemper virus, Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, pomona, grippotyphosa , or bratislava , Canine hepatitis virus, Canine parainfluenza virus, rabies virus, Hepatozoon canis and Borrelia burgdorferi , and species of Babesia and Theileria.
  • polypeptide, nucleotide sequence and the antibodies according to the invention can advantageously be used for diagnostic purposes.
  • a further aspect of the invention relates to a diagnostic test kit comprising the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, or the antibody, according to the invention.
  • the invention relates to a diagnostic test for the detection of a nucleotide sequence from a canine Babesia , using a nucleotide sequence according to the invention.
  • the nucleotide sequence is preferably used in a PCR based assay, and has a length of between 10 and 50 nucleotides, preferably between 15 and 30 nucleotides.
  • the invention relates to a diagnostic test for the detection of antibodies against a canine Babesia , wherein said test comprises a polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, according to the invention.
  • a CBA polypeptide is coupled to a solid phase carrier, this is incubated with a sample to be tested, is washed, and presence of bound antibodies from the tested sample is detected.
  • the test sample for instance derives from bodily fluids of a canine.
  • the invention relates to a diagnostic test for the detection of antigenic material from a canine Babesia , wherein the test comprises an antibody against a polypeptide (or immunogenic fragment thereof) according to the invention.
  • antibodies against a CBA polypeptide are coupled to a solid phase carrier, this is incubated with a sample to be tested, is washed, and presence of bound polyprotein from the tested sample is detected.
  • the test sample for instance derives from blood or tissues of a canine.
  • the “diagnostic test kit” relates to a kit to perform the diagnostic methods of the invention.
  • the kit comprises one or more of the components of the invention: the polypeptide, or the immunogenic fragment thereof, the nucleotide sequence, or the antibody, in a convenient form and container, optionally with a diluent, a reagent, and/or instructions how to perform the method.
  • the kit may comprise a container having multiple wells, such as a microtitration plate.
  • the wells of the container may be treated to contain any of the components of the invention, for use in a diagnostic method according to the invention.
  • the instructions optionally comprised with the diagnostic kit according to the invention may for example be written on a box containing the constituents of the kit; may be present on a leaflet in that box; or may be viewable on, or downloadable from, an internet website from the distributor of the kit, etc.
  • the diagnostic kit may also be an offer of the mentioned parts (relating to commercial sale), for example on an internet website, for combined use in an assay comprising the methods according to the invention.
  • Purified CBA-1 was used to generate a hybridoma cell-line according to standard procedures.
  • the cell-line was named 7E6, and it expresses a CBA-1 specific monoclonal antibody.
  • Polyclonal antibodies were obtained from SPA multiply vaccinated, and subsequently challenged dogs as described before (Schetters et al., 1996, Parasite Immunol., vol. 18, p. 1-6). These antibodies were used in the so-called AlphaLisa® technique (Perkin Elmer) to study common epitopes.
  • the AlphaLisa technique allows the detection of antigens containing at least two distinct epitopes by virtue of the fact that a donor and acceptor bead each carrying a distinct antibody recognizing a different epitope on the antigen.
  • the donor and acceptor bead are brought together in close proximity so that energy transfer between the beads may occur. This can be detected with an appropriate detector.
  • the vaccination-challenge immunoglobulin was biotinylated according to standard procedures. Next this was incubated for 60 minutes with the antigen and the acceptor beads that had been coated with a non-biotinylated vaccination-challenge 1 g.
  • HSP70 of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis As a negative control in these assays an irrelevant recombinant antigen expressed in a similar way in E. coli was used: HSP70 of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.
  • Positive control and reference material was SPA from a concentrated supernatant from in vitro cultures of the respective parasite species: either B. canis or B. rossi.
  • Results showed that the recombinant B. canis CBA-1 molecule was undetectable in two separate AlphaLisa assays with either B. canis SPA or B. rossi SPA polyclonal antibodies. ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ).
  • the positive control sample gave a strong signal in its respective assays.
  • the recombinant B. canis CBA-1 molecule does not display two or more separate epitopes on a single molecule, which epitopes would be recognised by anti-SPA antibodies. Consequently, the recombinant B. canis CBA-1 antigen displays either no epitope at all, or only a single epitope.
  • test was set-up to determine if recombinant B. canis CBA-1 was capable to compete with the reference SPA antigen for binding with polyclonal antibodies on donor and acceptor beads.
  • the CBA-1 polypeptide displays an epitope that is recognised by a vaccination-challenge serum against B. canis SPA and by a serum against B. rossi SPA. The same is true for B. rossi CBA-2.1, and probably also for CBA-2.2.
  • CBA-1 and CBA-2 that display the epitope are the only (single) antigens recognized in the crude SPA sample of B. canis and B. rossi , respectively.
  • B. canis SPA in combination with B. rossi SPA is effective in heterologous vaccination and protection against B. rossi ; however, as CBA was not shown to have two recognised epitopes, therefore CBA is shown to express a single cross-protective epitope. Therefore CBA is a heterologous immunoprotective antigen against both B. rossi and B. canis.
  • Recombinant Babesia CBA antigen will be tested for its ability to protect dogs against a homologous challenge infection after priming and booster vaccination. Dogs will be challenged with B. canis parasites of strain A to assess the level of protection. The challenge inoculum will be prepared from blood of an infected splenectomised dog. Dogs will then be followed up for a period of 14 days after the challenge infection.
  • One group will be vaccinated with 50 ⁇ g/dose CBA, a second group will act as a control, and will receive no injections. All antigens will be adjuvated with 250 ⁇ g/dose Saponin. Three weeks thereafter, group one will receive a booster vaccination with essentially the same antigen. Weekly serum samples will be taken to determine antibodies against B. canis A and B. rossi strain antigens using antibody Elisa's. Two weeks after the final vaccination, dogs will be challenged with B. canis strain A parasites, which will be obtained from an infected dog. During the post-challenge period animals will be observed daily for clinical signs of Babesiosis. Daily blood samples will be taken to determine packed cell volume and parasitaemia.
  • Animals will be vaccinated with the test article by subcutaneous injection in the scruff of the neck according to routine procedures. Priming vaccination will be followed by a booster vaccination after three weeks.
  • a healthy Beagle dog of either sex will be infected with 1 ml of B. canis infected blood that was stored as a stabilate in liquid nitrogen.
  • One ampoule of stabilate will be taken from the liquid nitrogen storage and immediately transferred to a liquid nitrogen transport container. The ampoule will immediately be thawed at 30-38° C. just prior to injection in the splenectomized donor dog.
  • the development of parasitaemia in the donor dog will be assessed from blood smears prepared from venous blood collected from the day of infection until the day of patent parasitaemia. Blood samples will be taken from the vena jugularis using CPDA tubes (Greiner or comparable) to prevent coagulation.
  • CPDA tubes Gibreiner or comparable
  • All dogs will be challenged with blood from the infected splenectomised donor dog. Blood will be washed with Babesia medium (Schetters et al., 1994, supra). The amount of blood containing 10 ⁇ 6 parasitized erythrocytes per ml will be injected intravenously in experimental animals (1 ml/dog).
  • the haematocrit value will be expressed as packed cell volume (PCV) of a sample of venous blood taken from the vena jugularis (2 ml heparinised blood/dog).
  • a haematocrit capillary will be filled with heparinised blood and centrifuged in a haematocrit centrifuge (Hettich) for 5 min. at 10.000 rpm.
  • the packed cell volume will be read using a haematocrit reader.
  • Smears will be prepared from the blood sample that is collected for the determination of the haematocrit blood. Percentage of infected red blood cells will be determined from the blood smears after staining with May-Grünwald/Giemsa solutions.
  • dogs When indicated after clinical examination, dogs will be treated for Babesiosis by intramuscular injection of imidocarb dipropionate (0.6 ml Carbesia, Schering-Plough Animal Health) for two consecutive days.
  • imidocarb dipropionate 0.6 ml Carbesia, Schering-Plough Animal Health
  • the score per animal will be summed and the average of each experimental group will be calculated. Differences will be analysed by ANOVA. P-values ⁇ 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
  • At least 80% of the animals in the groups should survive until the end of the experiment.
  • CBA-1 protein was coupled to a 5 ml H isTrap® column for purification, as well as for refolding to allow the presentation of conformational epitopes, and remove urea while keeping the protein soluble.
  • On-column refolding was applied using 50 column volumes of gradient buffer (509 mM NaH 2 PO 4 , 300 mM KCl, and containing as redox couple 3 mM/0.3 mM oxidized/reduced glutathione). Elution was with a gradient of phosphate-KCl buffer containing up to 400 mM imidazole. Run-off fractions were selected by detection of protein content with UV at 280 nm, and confirmation by SDS-PAGE gel-electrophoresis. The relevant fractions were pooled.
  • the vaccination-challenge experiment was executed as described in Example 3, except that the vaccination applied was boostered two times, at 3 and at 6 weeks post vaccination, in stead of once. Challenge was at 2 weeks after the last vaccination. Controls were not vaccinated as prior research had shown that vaccination with adjuvant either alone, or mixed with lysed red blood cells, did not interfere with the establishment or the progress of a challenge infection.
  • results show a significant reduction in parasite load in the CBA-1 vaccinated dogs. This had not previously been possible using a crude SPA type vaccine, and this adds considerably to a reduction of the symptoms of disease, and of the time to recovery. Also this serves an important function in the reduction of the spread of the disease to ticks and thus to other dogs in the environment. Results are presented in FIG. 8 .
  • PCV values represent the group averages, that are expressed as percentage values relative to those at day 0 (before challenge).
  • the maximal decrease in PCV is presented in Table 5, as not all dogs showed the largest drop in PCV on the same day.
  • FIG. 1 Amino acid sequence alignment of CBA polypeptides from Babesia canis and Babesia rossi . The two characterising regions are boxed, and the putative signal sequence is indicated by a double arrow.
  • FIG. 2 Nucleotide sequence alignment of CBA-1 mRNA (in cDNA format; SEQ ID NO: 9) and the CBA-1 gene from the genome of B. canis (SEQ ID NO: 12).
  • FIG. 3 Detection of recombinant B. canis CBA-1 molecule by AlphaLisa. Detection was performed using the B. canis SPA specific polyclonal antibodies.
  • FIG. 5 Detection by inhibition AlphaLisa, of inhibition by recombinant B. canis CBA-1 polypeptide of the binding of B. canis SPA specific polyclonal antibodies to B. canis SPA reference antigen.
  • FIG. 9 Haematocrit results (as packed cell volume, in % relative to day 0 [before challenge]) from vaccination-challenge experiment.

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