title: HisAK70: progress towards a vaccine against different forms of leishmaniosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum are among the main species that are responsible for cutaneous leishmaniosis (CL) and visceral leishmaniosis (VL), respectively. The leishmanioses represent the second-largest parasitic killer in the world after malaria. Recently, we succeeded in generating a plasmid DNA (pCMV-HISA70m2A) and demonstrated that immunized mice were protected against L. major challenge. The efficacy of the DNA-vaccine was further enhanced by the inclusion of KMP-11 antigen into the antibiotic-free plasmid pVAX1-asd.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we describe the use of a HisAK70 DNA-vaccine encoding seven Leishmania genes (H2A, H2B, H3, H4, A2, KMP11 and HSP70) for vaccination of mice to assess the induction of a resistant phenotype against VL and CL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HisAK70 was successful in vaccinated mice, resulting in a high amount of efficient sterile hepatic granulomas associated with a hepatic parasite burden fully resolved in the VL model; and resulting in 100% inhibition of parasite visceralization in the CL model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that immunization with the HisAK70 DNA-vaccine may provide a rapid, suitable, and efficient vaccination strategy to confer cross-protective immunity against VL and CL.
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. gdbernal@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Bernal
authors.affiliation: SALUVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. phorcajo@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Horcajo
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. jaorden@ucm.es.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Orden
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. ruizsanta@ucm.es.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Santa-Quiteria
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. rifuente@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De La Fuente
authors.affiliation: "Severo Ochoa" Molecular Biology Centre CSIC-UAM, Madrid, 28049, Spain. lordoniez@cbm.csic.es.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ordóñez-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. abelma01@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. alimas@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.affiliation: INMIVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain. javier.carrion@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carrión
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056738:Cross Protection; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA