{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:17:57Z","timestamp":1760059077897,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747699200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"USDA-ARS","award":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"]}]},{"name":"FOPER","award":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"]}]},{"name":"CONACYT","award":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["59-2090-1-001-F","2019-00675","926650"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Babesia bovis is a protozoan parasite that causes babesiosis in cattle. It has been hypothesized that in apicomplexan parasites, translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) interferes with the host immune response by inhibiting B cell proliferation. The aim of this study was the characterization of B. bovis TCTP (BboTCTP) and the evaluation of its expression, immunogenicity and role in infection. The tctp gene was identified and sequenced from B. bovis isolates and revealed a high conservation. Expression was confirmed in intraerythrocytic stages by Western blot and confocal microscopy. Synthetic peptides containing predicted B cell epitopes were used to immunize cattle, followed by a challenge with a virulent B. bovis strain. Immunized animals showed milder clinical signs and faster recovery compared to controls. Sera from non-immunized animals exhibited lower total IgG levels after challenge (p &lt; 0.05), while sera from immunized animals induced significant in vitro invasion inhibition (32\u201333%). These results suggest that BboTCTP is immunogenic and may play a role in modulating the host immune response. The results provide novel insights into B. bovis biology and support BboTCTP as a promising candidate for further evaluation as a vaccine antigen. Future studies should explore its immunomodulatory mechanisms and potential use in combined vaccine formulations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14050502","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T11:50:31Z","timestamp":1747741831000},"page":"502","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP), a Novel Antigen of Babesia bovis, Participates in the Establishment of Acute Infection and Contains Neutralizing B-Cell Epitopes"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Chyntia","family":"P\u00e9rez-Almeida","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"},{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, National Autonomous University of M\u00e9xico, Colony C.U., Coyoac\u00e1n, Mexico City 04510, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Diego Josimar","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1730-4916","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edwin Esa\u00fa","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Arvizu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0042-6856","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Masahito","family":"Asada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inadacho, Nishi 2-13, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shin-ichiro","family":"Kawazu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inadacho, Nishi 2-13, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2680-6091","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Massaro W.","family":"Ueti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8837-3578","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Guadalupe","family":"Gomez-Soto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Urso Mart\u00edn","family":"D\u00e1vila-Montero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6033-5431","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos A.","family":"Vega y Murgu\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8892-6390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan","family":"Mosqueda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Immunology and Vaccine Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"},{"name":"Natural Sciences College, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76230, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2006.01.042","article-title":"Live Vaccines against Bovine Babesiosis","volume":"138","author":"Combrink","year":"2006","journal-title":"Vet. 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