1. Vaccination with the Leishmania major ribosomal proteins plus CpG oligodeoxynucleotides induces protection against experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice
- Author
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Iborra, Salvador, Parody, Nuria, Abánades, Daniel R., Bonay, Pedro, Prates, Deboraci, Novais, Fernanda O., Barral-Netto, Manoel, Alonso, Carlos, and Soto, Manuel
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VACCINATION , *MICE , *PROTEINS , *BIOSYNTHESIS - Abstract
Abstract: In the present work we analyze the antigenicity of Leishmania major ribosomal proteins (LRP) in infected BALB/c mice. We show that BALB/c mice vaccinated with LRP in the presence of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) were protected against the development of dermal pathology and showed a reduction in the parasite load after challenge with L. major. This protection was associated with the induction of an IL-12 dependent specific-IFN-γ response mediated mainly by CD4+ T cell, albeit a minor contribution of CD8+ T cells cannot be ruled out. Induction of Th1 responses against LRP also resulted in a reversion of the Th2 responses associated with susceptibility. A marked reduction of IgG1 antibody titer against parasite antigens besides an impaired IL-4 and IL-10 cytokine production by parasite specific T cells was observed. In addition, we show that the administration of the LRP plus CpG-ODN preparation also conferred protection in the naturally resistant C57BL/6 mice. In this strain protection was associated with a LRP specific IFN-γ production in lymph nodes draining the challenge site. We believe that these evolutionary conserved proteins, combined with adjuvants that favor Th1 responses, may be relevant components of a pan-Leishmania vaccine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
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