Browsing by Author "Contreras, Marinela"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Correlation between Subolesin-Reactive Epitopes and Vaccine Efficacy
    (Vaccines, 2022) Contreras, Marinela; Kasaija, Paul D.; Kabi, Fredrick; Mugerwa, Swidiq; De la Fuente, José
    Vaccination is an environmentally-friendly alternative for tick control. The tick antigen Subolesin (SUB) has shown protection in vaccines for the control of multiple tick species in cattle. Additionally, recent approaches in quantum vaccinomics have predicted SUB-protective epitopes and the peptide sequences involved in protein–protein interactions in this tick antigen. Therefore, the identification of B-cell–reactive epitopes by epitope mapping using a SUB peptide array could be essential as a novel strategy for vaccine development. Subolesin can be used as a model to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches for the identification of protective epitopes related to vaccine protection and efficacy. In this study, the mapping of B-cell linear epitopes of SUB from three different tick species common in Uganda (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. decoloratus, and Amblyomma variegatum) was conducted using serum samples from two cattle breeds immunized with SUB-based vaccines. The results showed that in cattle immunized with SUB from R. appendiculatus (SUBra) all the reactive peptides (Z-score > 2) recognized by IgG were also significant (Z-ratio > 1.96) when compared to the control group. Additionally, some of the reactive peptides recognized by IgG from the control group were also recognized in SUB cocktail–immunized groups. As a significant result, cattle groups that showed the highest vaccine efficacy were Bos indicus immunized with a SUB cocktail (92%), and crossbred cattle were immunized with SUBra (90%) against R. appendiculatus ticks; the IgG from these groups recognized overlapping epitopes from the peptide SPTGLSPGLSPVRDQPLFTFRQVGLICERMMKERESQIRDEYDHVLSAKLAEQYDTFVKFTYDQKRFEGATPSYLS (Z-ratio > 1.96), which partially corresponded to a Q38 peptide and the SUB protein interaction domain. These identified epitopes could be related to the protection and efficacy of the SUB-based vaccines, and new chimeras containing these protective epitopes could be designed using this new approach.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Monitoring the Subolesin Vaccine Field Trial for Safer Control of Cattle Ticks Amidst Increasing Acaricide Resistance in Uganda
    (Vaccines, 2022) Kabi, Fredrick; Dhikusooka, Moses; Matovu, Moses; Mugerwa, Swidiq; Kasaija, Paul; Emudong, Patrick; Kirunda, Halid; Contreras, Marinela; Gortazar, Christian; De la Fuente, Jose
    A collaboration program was established between the group of Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) of the IREC Institute of Game and Wildlife Research (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Spain) and the National Agricultural Research Organization of Uganda (NARO) for the development of vaccines for the control of cattle ticks in Uganda. Controlled pen trials identified a tick protective antigen, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Subolesin, and a cross-species-effective vaccine formulation. As the next step, a controlled vaccine field trial has been approved by Ugandan state regulatory authorities, the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) and the National Drug Authority (NDA), to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine formulation for the control of cattle tick infestations under field conditions. The results of this trial may lead to the approval of the vaccine for application in Uganda to improve cattle health and production while reducing the use of acaricides.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Towards a Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Cattle Health and Production in Uganda
    (Vaccines, 2019) Fuente, José de la; Contreras, Marinela; Kasaija, Paul D.; Gortazar, Christian; Ruiz-Fons, Jose F.; Mateo, Rafael; Kabi, Fredrick
    A meeting and course supported by the Vice-Presidency for International A airs of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the National Agricultural Research Organization of Uganda (NARO) were held at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) in Nakyesasa, Wakiso, Uganda on September 2–9, 2019. The activities were conducted within the collaboration program between the Institute of Game andWildlife Research (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Spain) and NARO for the development of vaccines and other interventions for the control of cattle ticks in Uganda.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Vaccination with Recombinant Subolesin Antigens Provides Cross-Tick Species Protection in Bos indicus and Crossbred Cattle in Uganda
    (Vaccines, 2020) Kasaija, Paul D.; Contreras, Marinela; Kabi, Fredrick; Mugerwa, Swidiq; Fuente, José de la
    Cattle tick infestations and transmitted pathogens a ect animal health, production and welfare with an impact on cattle industry in tropical and subtropical countries. Anti-tick vaccines constitute an e ective and sustainable alternative to the traditional methods for the control of tick infestations. Subolesin (SUB)-based vaccines have shown e cacy for the control of multiple tick species, but several factors a ect the development of new and more e ective vaccines for the control of tick infestations. To address this challenge, herein we used a regional and host/tick species driven approach for vaccine design and implementation. The objective of the study was to develop SUB-based vaccines for the control of the most important tick species (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. decoloratus and Amblyomma variegatum) a ecting production of common cattle breeds (Bos indicus and B. indicus x B. taurus crossbred) in Uganda. In this way, we addressed the development of anti-tick vaccines as an intervention to prevent the economic losses caused by ticks and tick-borne diseases in the cattle industry in Uganda. The results showed the possibility of using SUB antigens for the control of multiple tick species in B. indicus and crossbred cattle and suggested the use of R. appendiculatus SUB to continue research on vaccine design and formulation for the control of cattle ticks in Uganda. Future directions would include quantum vaccinology approaches based on the characterization of the SUB protective epitopes, modeling of the vaccine E under Ugandan ecological and epidemiological conditions and optimization of vaccine formulation including the possibility of oral administration.