title: Immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides promote protective immunity and provide systemic therapy for leishmaniasis via IL-12- and IFN-gamma-dependent mechanisms.
abstract: Resistance to murine leishmaniasis correlates with development of a CD4(+) T helper 1 (Th1)-predominant immune response. To determine whether immunostimulatory CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN), known to promote a Th1 immune response, could provide protection from Leishmania infection, CpG-ODN and freeze-thawed (F/T) Leishmania major were coinjected intradermally into susceptible BALB/c mice. A Leishmania-specific Th1-predominant immune response was induced, and 40% of animals were protected from subsequent challenge with infectious organisms, with 0% protection of animals injected with F/T Leishmania organisms and PBS, F/T organisms and control ODN, or F/T organisms alone. More striking protection (65-95%) was seen in mice first infected with intact Leishmania organisms and then injected with CpG-ODN, either at the site of infection or at a remote site. To determine whether the therapeutic protection provided by CpG-ODN depended on IL-12 and IFN-gamma production, both IFN-gamma-deficient BALB/c mice and BALB/c mice treated with neutralizing anti-IL-12 mAb were first inoculated with Leishmania and then treated with either CpG-ODN, ODN, or PBS. None of these IFN-gamma-deficient mice survived (0/20, 0/20, and 0/20 respectively). Furthermore, neutralization of IL-12 completely abolished the therapeutic protection provided by CpG-ODN (0/20 mice surviving). We conclude that immunostimulatory DNA sequences likely exert systemic effects via IL-12 and IFN-gamma-dependent mechanisms and hold considerable promise as both vaccine adjuvants and potential therapeutic agents in the prevention and treatment of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1908, USA.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scharton-Kersten
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Love-Homan
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Rowton
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Udey
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma