title: Cross-protective efficacy of Leishmania infantum LiHyD protein against tegumentary leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major and Leishmania braziliensis species.
abstract: Vaccination can be considered the most cost-effective strategy to control neglected diseases, but nowadays there is not an effective vaccine available against leishmaniasis. In the present study, a vaccine based on the combination of the Leishmania-specific hypothetical protein (LiHyD) with saponin was tested in BALB/c mice against infection caused by Leishmania major and Leishmania braziliensis species. This antigen was firstly identified in Leishmania infantum and showed to be protective against infection of BALB/c mice using this parasite species. The immunogenicity of rLiHyD/saponin vaccine was evaluated, and the results showed that immunized mice produced high levels of IFN-γ, IL-12 and GM-CSF after in vitro stimulation with rLiHyD, as well as by using L. major or L. braziliensis protein extracts. After challenge, vaccinated animals showed significant reductions in the infected footpad swellings, as well as in the parasite burden in the infection site, liver, spleen, and infected paws draining lymph nodes, when compared to those that were inoculated with the vaccine diluent (saline) or immunized with saponin. The immunization of rLiHyD without adjuvant was not protective against both challenges. The partial protection obtained by the rLiHyD/saponin vaccine was associated with a parasite-specific IL-12-dependent IFN-γ secretion, which was produced mainly by CD4(+) T cells. In these animals, a decrease in the parasite-mediated IL-4 and IL-10 responses, associated with the presence of high levels of LiHyD- and parasite-specific IgG2a isotype antibodies, were also observed. The present study showed that a hypothetical protein that was firstly identified in L. infantum, when combined to a Th1 adjuvant, was able to confer a cross-protection against highly infective stationary-phase promastigotes of two Leishmania species causing tegumentary leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Pagliara
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lage
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vívian Tamietti
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Costa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lourena Emanuele
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Grasiele de Sousa Vieira
authors.initials: GSV
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Fonseca
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chávez-Fumagalli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menezes-Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno Mendes
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Roatt
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto Pereira
authors.initials: CAP
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: eduardoferrazcoelho@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Eduardo Antonio Ferraz
authors.initials: EAF
authors.lastname: Coelho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis / Q000276:immunology*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016207:Cytokines; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines
keywords: Adjuvants; Hypothetical proteins; Infectivity; Leishmania; Tegumentary leishmaniasis; Vaccine