title: DNA vaccines induce partial protection against Leishmania mexicana.
abstract: As part of an ongoing effort to develop a vaccine against Leishmania mexicana, we tested DNA vaccines encoding L. mexicana GP63, CPb, and LACK, and L. amazonensis GP46, to evaluate this strategy and define the best antigen candidates. Immune responses and vaccine efficacy were evaluated in BALB/c mice immunized with plasmid DNA encoding the different antigens. All four DNA vaccines induced Leishmania-specific humoral and lympho-proliferative immune responses. However, only mice immunized with VR1012-GP46, VR1012-GP63 and VR1012-CPb were partially protected against infection, as evidenced by reduced lesion size and parasite burden. Interestingly, immunization of mice with a mixture of these three plasmids further increased protection. Thus, plasmids encoding CPb, GP63 and GP46 represent good candidates for further development of DNA vaccines against L. mexicana.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología, C.I.R. Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 59, 97000 Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico. oliver@tunku.uady.mx
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dumonteil
authors.forename: Ramirez Sierra
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Maria Jesus
authors.forename: Escobedo Ortegon
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Javier
authors.forename: García Miss
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Maria del Rosario
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA