title: Antigenicity of a whole parasite vaccine as promising candidate against canine leishmaniasis.
abstract: Human visceral leishmaniasis, one of the most important zoonoses, is caused by the protozoa Leishmania chagasi (syn. L. infantum) and is present as a fatal disease common in South America and Europe where dogs and wild canids are the main reservoirs. A vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis would be an important tool in the control of this disease in dogs. Although the current strategies for vaccination against leishmaniasis are based on the use of recombinant antigens, killed vaccines are still attractive in terms of stability of their biochemical composition and antigenicity, cost, and safety. Here we evaluate the immunogenicity of a whole parasite vaccine as a promising candidate against canine leishmaniasis, demonstrated by cellular reactivity, changes in the cellular profile of the peripheral blood and by the differential production of immunoglobulins. Our results showed that immunization elicited mainly a strong cellular reactivity and increase in T-lymphocytes, particularly the subpopulation CD8(+) that would be related to the control of tissue parasitism. In addition, a higher production of anti-Leishmania total IgG, characterized by mixed isotypes profile (IgG1 and IgG2), was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brazil. giunchetti@nupeb.ufop.br
authors.forename: Rodolfo Cordeiro
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Giunchetti
authors.forename: Alexandre Barbosa
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: da Silveira-Lemos
authors.forename: Olindo Assis
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Martins-Filho
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corrêa-Oliveira
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bethony
authors.forename: André Macedo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Silva Quetz
authors.forename: Lilian Lacerda
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: França-Silva
authors.forename: Evaldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mayrink
authors.forename: Ricardo Toshio
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007891:Leishmania / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines