Respective mean values from triplicate

determinations were taken for the calculation of relative cytokine mRNA levels (cytokine mRNA level/β-actin find more mRNA level), given therefore in arbitrary units [18]. The chi-square test was applied to compare the ratios between live and stillborn pups. Survival analysis was performed according to Kaplan–Meier method. Vaccinated groups were compared with the corresponding adjuvant group (CT or CTB) by Cox regression. (Open-source software package R: http://www.R-project.org.). Cerebral parasite burdens in different treatment and control groups were assessed by Kruskal–Wallis multiple comparison, followed by Duncan’s multiple range test to compare between two particular groups (P < 0·05 =  significant). Antibody levels prior to and post-challenge at different time points and different mRNA expression levels were compared by Student's t-test

using the Excel program (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA). Values of P < 0·05 were regarded as statistically significant. All analyses of variances employed the ncss Quick Start 2001 software (Kaysville, UT, USA). No local reactions at the inoculation sites were found MLN2238 following immunization and challenge Infection. Significant losses in body weight of adult mice were recorded only for the mice receiving CTB alone or CTB emulsified with recNcPDI antigen (data not shown). The survival curves of the nonpregnant mouse groups are shown in Figure 1a. No symptomatic animal was detected in the CT-PDI group for over 30 days, and only on day 32 post-challenge, one mouse (of 8) exhibited disease symptoms and was euthanized. For the other groups,

no protection was observed, and animals had to be euthanized starting on day 10 post-challenge. In all groups, approximately 60% of all females became pregnant. While in the CT, CTB and CTB-PDI groups, dams started to die between days 18 and 22 post-partum, dams in the CT-PDI group started to die much later (from day 32 onwards), with finally 60% survivors at day 40 post-partum. All other groups exhibited protection of only 33–40%. One dam in the noninfected PBS-treated group had to be euthanized at day 28 due to morbidity, the reason for which is unknown (Figure 1b). With regard to the Grape seed extract offspring mice, all experimental groups presented similar litter sizes (see Table 1). Nevertheless, there was a significantly (P < 0·05) increased ratio of stillborn pups (death within 3 days post-partum) in the CT-PDI group (Table 1). 61% of the pups in the noninfected PBS group survived, while in all other groups 0–20% of survival of pups was noted (Figure 1c). In nonpregnant mice, the cerebral parasite burden in the CT-PDI group was significantly lower compared with the group receiving CT adjuvant alone. In contrast, PDI emulsified in CTB did not result in decreased cerebral parasite load (Figure 2a, Table 2).