Live Leishmania tarentolae secreting HNP1 as an immunotherapeutic tool against Leishmania infection in BALB/c mice.

Aim: Several disadvantages about chemotherapy for leishmaniasis has reinforced discovery of novel therapeutic agents especially immunotherapeutics. HNP1, as a member of the mammalian antimicrobial peptides family, is an attractive molecule due to its broad functional spectrum. Here, the in vivo potency of HNP1 in transgenic Leishmania tarentolae as an immunotherapy tool against Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice was examined.
Methods & Results: 3 weeks after infection with L. major, the treatment effect of L. tarentolae-HNP1-EGFP was pursued. The results were promising in respect to parasite load control and Th1 immune response polarization compared with controls.
Conclusion: Immunotherapy by live L. tarentolae secreting HNP1 can elicit cellular immune response in a susceptible mouse model in order to control L. major infection.