Intramuscular immunization with p36(LACK) DNA vaccine induces IFN-gama production but does not protect BALB/c mice against Leishmania chagasi intravenous challenge.

Silva, Eduardo de Almeida Marques da; Coelho, Eduardo Antônio Ferraz; Gomes, Daniel Cláudio de Oliveira; Vilela, Márcia de Carvalho; Masioli, Cássio Zumerle; Tavares, Carlos Alberto Pereira; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Afonso, Luís Carlos Crocco; Rezende, Simone Aparecida

Intramuscular immunization with p36(LACK) DNA vaccine induces IFN-gama production but does not protect BALB/c mice against Leishmania chagasi intravenous challenge.

Date

2005

Authors

Silva, Eduardo de Almeida Marques da

Coelho, Eduardo Antônio Ferraz

Gomes, Daniel Cláudio de Oliveira

Vilela, Márcia de Carvalho

Masioli, Cássio Zumerle

Tavares, Carlos Alberto Pereira

Fernandes, Ana Paula

Afonso, Luís Carlos Crocco

Rezende, Simone Aparecida

Abstract

Acute visceral leishmaniasis is a progressive disease caused by Leishmania chagasi in South America. The acquisition of immunity following infection suggests that vaccination is a feasible approach to protect against this disease. Since Leishmania homologue of receptors for activated C kinase (LACK) antigen is of particular interest as a vaccine candidate because of the prominent role it plays in the pathogenesis of experimental Leishmania major infection, we evaluated the potential of a p36(LACK) DNA vaccine in protecting BALB/c mice challenged with L. chagasi. In this study, mice received intramuscular (i.m.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) doses of LACK DNA vaccine. We evaluated the production of vaccine-induced cytokines and whether this immunization was able to reduce parasite load in liver and spleen. We detected a significant production of interferon gamma by splenocytes from i.m. vaccinated mice in response to L. chagasi antigen and to rLACK protein. However, we did not observe a reduction in parasite load neither in liver nor in the spleen of vaccinated animals. The lack of protection observed may be explained by a significant production of IL-10 induced by the vaccine.

Keywords

Lack

Citation

SILVA, E. A. M. da et al. Intramuscular immunization with p36(LACK) DNA vaccine induces IFN-gama production but does not protect BALB/c mice against Leishmania chagasi intravenous challenge. Parasitology Research, v. 98, n.1, p. 67-74, 2005. Disponível em: <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00436-005-0008-8>. Acesso em: 20 jan. 2017.