Evaluation of Ex Vivo Human Immune Response Against Candidate Antigens for a Visceral Leishmaniasis Vaccine

Publication Date

5-1-2010

Document Type

Article

Abstract

People cured from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) develop protection mediated by Th1-type cellular responses against new infections. We evaluated cytokine responses against 6 defined candidate vaccine antigens in 15 cured VL subjects and 5 healthy endemic controls with no evidence of previous exposure to Leishmania parasites. Of the 6 cytokines examined, only interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) differentiated cured VL patients from non-exposed individuals, with cured patients mounting a significantly higher IFN-gamma response to a crude parasite antigen preparation. Among candidate vaccine antigens tested, the largest number of cured subjects recognized cysteine proteinase B, leading to heightened IFN-gamma responses, followed by sterol 24-c-methyltransferase. These two antigens were the most immunogenic and protective antigens in a murine VL model, indicating a relationship between T cell recall responses of humans cured from VL and protective efficacy in an experimental model. Further studies may help prioritize antigens for clinical development of a subunit vaccine against VL.

Publication Title

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Volume

82

Issue

5

First Page

808

Last Page

813

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0341

Publisher Policy

open access

Link to Full Text

Find in your library

Share

COinS