Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii still poses a serious threat to public health in most countries and regions. Currently, the lack of effective vaccines necessitates the urgent development of a safe and effective vaccine. METHODS: In this study, we combined the inactivated T. gondii vaccine with a colloidal manganese salt (Mn jelly [MnJ]) adjuvant. RESULTS: This triggered a powerful innate immunity, significantly increased the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells secreting interferon γ (IFN-γ) in mice, and enhanced the generation of CD8(+) central memory T cells and CD8(+) effector memory T cells. Compared to the control groups, mice in experimental groups produced more specific IgG, and produced high levels of IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ. The survival rate of mice in experimental groups reached 50%, while all control group mice died within 9 days during T. gondii acute infection. Furthermore, the burden of brain cysts in experimental group mice was also significantly reduced by 90.77% compared to the control group during chronic infection. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the incorporation of an MnJ adjuvant significantly enhances the immunoprotective efficacy of inactivated T. gondii vaccine, positioning this formulation as a promising candidate for development against toxoplasmosis.