Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania major: attenuation of wild-type parasites and vaccination with the attenuated lines.
A method for attenuation of Leishmania species by culturing in vitro under gentamicin pressure has been used successfully with Leishmania mexicana, L. major, L. infantum, and L. donovani. The attenuated lines invaded but were unable to survive within bone marrow-derived macrophages in vitro, whereas wild-type parasites survived and multiplied. The attenuated lines of L. mexicana and L. major both failed to induce cutaneous lesions in the majority of BALB/c mice over a minimum 12-week observation period after subcutaneous injection of stationary phase parasites. The attenuated line of L. mexicana retained its properties in gentamicin-free medium over 40 subcultures. The attenuated lines of L. mexicana and L. major both induced significant protection in mice against challenge with wild-type parasites.
Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Hamid
H
Daneshvar
Graham H
GH
Coombs
Paul
P
Hagan
R Stephen
RS
Phillips
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology*
D003470:Culture Media; D005839:Gentamicins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated