@article{ba2563fc356d4bd295ff74bb97673714,
title = "Phlebotomus papatasi SP15: mRNA expression variability and amino acid sequence polymorphisms of field populations",
abstract = "Background: The Phlebotomus papatasi salivary protein PpSP15 was shown to protect mice against Leishmania major, suggesting that incorporation of salivary molecules in multi-component vaccines may be a viable strategy for anti-Leishmania vaccines. Methods: Here, we investigated PpSP15 predicted amino acid sequence variability and mRNA profile of P. papatasi field populations from the Middle East. In addition, predicted MHC class II T-cell epitopes were obtained and compared to areas of amino acid sequence variability within the secreted protein. Results: The analysis of PpSP15 expression from field populations revealed significant intra- and interpopulation variation. In spite of the variability detected for P. papatasi populations, common epitopes for MHC class II binding are still present and may potentially be used to boost the response against Le. major infections. Conclusions: Conserved epitopes of PpSP15 could potentially be used in the development of a salivary gland antigen-based vaccine.",
author = "Coutinho-Abreu, {Iliano V} and Mahon, {Andrew R}",
note = "Funding Information: The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases or the National Institutes of Health of the US Department of Defense. VQB is supported by CNPq (Proc. 482264/2007-1) and FACEPE (APQ-0355-2.02/06), CASFJr is a recipient of a CNPq M.Sc. scholarship (Proc. 567893/2008-1). The study protocol was approved by the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 Institutional Review Board in compliance with all applicable Federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects. IRB # 193, DoD # NAMRU3.2006.0011. One of the co-authors is a military service member; other co-authors are employees of the U.S. Government. This work was prepared as part of our official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. §105 provides that {\textquoteleft}Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government{\textquoteright}. Title 17 U.S.C. §101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person{\textquoteright}s official duties. Funding Information: We are grateful to the Egyptian Ministry of Health for their aid and in sand fly collections and the Multi National Force and Observers (MFO) military units for transportation in the Sinai Peninsula. Special gratitude goes to Ms. Maria Badra for her organizational skills and support of the work in Eygpt. We are also indebted to the Sand Fly Genome Consortium and allowed us to submit our mapping results prior to the completion and publication of the sand fly genome analysis. This project was supported by contract # W911NF0410380 from the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded to MAM. MR-O was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI074691). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Ramalho-Ortig{\~a}o et al.",
year = "2015",
language = "English",
volume = "8",
pages = "298",
journal = "Parasites \& vectors",
publisher = "Parasites \& vectors",
number = "1",
}
