Protection against cutaneous leishmaniasis in outbred vervet monkeys using a recombinant histone H1 antigen.
Infection with Leishmania major parasites results in the development of cutaneous ulcerative lesions on the skin. We investigated the protective potential of a single, recombinant histone H1 antigen against cutaneous leishmaniasis in an outbred population of vervet monkeys, using Montanide adjuvant. Protection was assessed by challenging the animals with a mixture of vector sand fly salivary-gland lysate and a low dose of in vitro-derived parasites, thus more closely mimicking natural infection induced by L. major. The course of infection in immunized monkeys was compared with that of animals that had healed from a primary infection and were immune. The monkeys immunized with recombinant histone H1 showed a reduced development of lesion size, compared with controls. Our study therefore illustrates the potential use of histone H1 as a vaccine candidate against cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans.
Masina
Slavica
S
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. slavica.masina@ib.unil.ch.
M  Gicheru
Michael
M
Demotz
Stéphane O
SO
Fasel
Nicolas J
NJ
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006657:Histones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D006657:Histones; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins