A recombinant chimeric protein composed of human and mice-specific CD4+and CD8+T-cell epitopes protects against visceral leishmaniasis.
In this study, a recombinant chimeric protein (RCP), which was composed of specific CD4+and CD8+T-cell epitopes to murine and human haplotypes, was evaluated as an immunogen against Leishmania infantum infection in a murine model. BALB/c mice received saline were immunized with saponin or with RCP with or without an adjuvant. The results showed that RCP/saponin-vaccinated mice presented significantly higher levels of antileishmanial IFN-γ, IL-12 and GM-CSF before and after challenge, which were associated with the reduction of IL-4 and IL-10 mediated responses. These animals showed significant reductions in the parasite burden in all evaluated organs, when both limiting dilution and quantitative real-time PCR techniques were used. In addition, the protected animals presented higher levels of parasite-specific nitrite, as well as the presence of anti-Leishmania IgG2a isotype antibodies. In conclusion, the RCP/saponin vaccine could be considered as a prophylactic alternative to prevent against VL.
Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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VT
Martins
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.|Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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MC
Duarte
Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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DP
Lage
Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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LE
Costa
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.
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AM
Carvalho
Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
T A O
TA
Mendes
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.
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Roatt
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.|Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Menezes-Souza
Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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M
Soto
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.|Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Coelho
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000071497:Immunogenicity, Vaccine; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012503:Saponins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
 Leishmania infantum ; T-cell epitopes; immune response; recombinant chimeric protein; vaccine; visceral leishmaniasis