Vaccination with Recombinant Leishmania donovani Gamma-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase Fusion Protein Protects Against L. donovani Infection

Campbell, S. A.; Henriquez, F. L.; Campbell, Samantha A; Roberts, C. W.; Mullen, A. B.; Burchmore, R.; Carter, K. C.

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis presents a serious health threat in many parts of the world. There is, therefore, an urgent need for an approved vaccine for clinical use to protect against infection. In this study, the ability of recombinant Leishmania donovani gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase protein (Ld?GCS) alone or incorporated into a non-ionic surfactant vesicle (NIV) delivery system to protect against L. donovani infection was evaluated in a BALB/c mouse model. Immunization with Ld?GCS alone or Ld?GCS-NIV induced specific IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies compared to controls, with Ld?GCS-NIV inducing significantly higher titers of both antibody classes (P < 0.05). Both formulations induced similar increases in splenocyte IFN-? production following ex vivo antigen stimulation with Ld?GCS compared with cells from control mice (P < 0.05). Similar levels of protection against infection were induced by Ld?GCS alone and Ld?GCS-NIV, based on their ability to suppress liver parasite burdens compared to control values (P < 0.01), indicating that using a carrier system did not enhance the protective responses induced by the recombinant protein. The results of this study indicate that Ld?GCS may be a useful component in a vaccine against L. donovani.

Citation

Campbell, S. A., Henriquez, F. L., Campbell, S. A., Roberts, C. W., Mullen, A. B., Burchmore, R., & Carter, K. C. (2010). Vaccination with Recombinant Leishmania donovani Gamma-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase Fusion Protein Protects Against L. donovani Infection. Journal of Parasitology, 96(5), 929-936. https://doi.org/10.1645/ge-2360.1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 13, 2010
• Publication Date: 2010-10
• Deposit Date: May 10, 2016
• Journal: Journal of Parasitology
• Print ISSN: 0022-3395
• Electronic ISSN: 1937-2345
• Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 96
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 929-936
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1645/ge-2360.1
• Keywords: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Parasitology
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/10129
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1645/GE-2360.1