title: Analysis of iron superoxide dismutase-encoding DNA vaccine on the evolution of the Leishmania amazonensis experimental infection.
abstract: The present work aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity of Leishmania amazonensis iron superoxide dismutase (SOD)-encoding DNA experimental vaccine and the protective properties of this DNA vaccine during infection. The SOD gene was subcloned into the pVAX1 plasmid, and it was used to immunize BALB/c mice. Twenty-one days after the last immunization, mice were sacrificed (immunogenicity studies) or subcutaneously challenged with L. amazonensis (studies of protection), and alterations in cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated, as well as the course of infection. Mice only immunized with pVAX1-SOD presented increased frequencies of CD4(+) IFN-γ(+), CD8(+)IFN-γ(+) and CD8(+)IL-4(+) lymphocytes; moreover, high levels of IgG2a were detected. After challenge, mice that were immunized with pVAX1-SOD had increased frequencies of the CD4(+)IL-4(+), CD8(+)IFN-γ(+) and CD8(+)IL-4(+) T lymphocytes. In addition, the lymph node cells produced high amounts of IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines. Increased IgG2a was also detected. The pattern of immunity induced by pVAX1-SOD partially protected the BALB/c mice from a challenge with L. amazonensis, as the animals presented reduced parasitism and lesion size when compared to controls. Taken together, these results indicate that leishmanial SOD modulates the lymphocyte response, and that the elevation in IFN-γ possibly accounted for the decreased skin parasitism observed in immunized animals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases (LIM50), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: B L S
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases (LIM50), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (LIM60), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.|Institute of Investigation in Immunology - iii-INCT, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (LIM60), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: K I L
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (LIM60), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.|Institute of Investigation in Immunology - iii-INCT, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kallás
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases (LIM50), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Laurenti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases (LIM50), University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: L F D
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Passero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: DNA vaccine; Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis; immunity; superoxide dismutase