Production of DNA, Protein and DNA/Protein vaccines against Leishmania infantum and L.tropica

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by obligate intracellular protozoan Leishmania parasites. Especially cutaneous form of leishmaniasis has an increasing importance in Turkey because of immigration. The aims of this study that is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK project number 213S149) are to produce Leishmania infantum and L.tropica activated C kinase receptor (LACK) gene based DNA and protein vaccines and to investigate the effectiveness of these vaccines by prime-boost method alone and combined with two adjuvants in-vivo on mice model. Methodological steps in this study are to culture L.infantum and L.tropica promastigotes in NNN medium, total genomic DNA isolation from culture, cloning activated C kinase receptor (LACK) gene with specific primers, ligation of PCR product into plasmid, amplifying recombinant plasmid in competent cells, producing endotoxin free DNA vaccine, producing endotoxin free LACK recombinant protein, combining DNA and protein vaccines with MPL-SE and CpG-ODN adjuvants and to investigate the effectiveness of this vaccines in-vivo on mice model. As a result L.infantum and L.tropica LACK gene based DNA and protein vaccines was produced and ready to immunization. Th-1 and Th-2 immunologic responses are going to be investigated after two week intervals three time vaccination against L.tropica and L.infantum infections on BALB/c mice. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc