DNA vaccines against American tegumentary leishmaniasis

• Grant number: 11/51157-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2011
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Dalastra Laurenti
• Grantee: Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The secreted antigens by parasites are interesting targets for the development of vaccine candidates, since they are one of first molecules to interact with the innate immune system, establishing an intrinsic physiological relationship with host cells. For this reason, these antigens have been target to vaccine development against murine and canine tegumentar and visceral leishmaniosis, respectively. Indeed with the recent publication of Leishmania donovani secretome nas become possible develop well-defined vaccine candidates against this tropical disease; however a limiting factor for this purpose is the yield of antigen to further purification. Thus, DNA vaccines become good alternatives to Gircumvent the problem of protein purification, once target proteins are expressed in vivo. In the present purpose, we will analyze immunogenicity and protective effects of 4 different DNA vaccines produced from Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis genome, using as vector pVAX1 plasmid, which was licensed to human use. BALB/c mice (12 per group) will be immunized with each DNA vaccine, three times at regular intervals of 15 days, intramuscularly, using CpG adjuvant. Following 30 days of last immunization, six animals will be sacrificed and immunological approaches will be performed to analyze the immunogenicity of vaccinations. Other six mice will be subcutaneously challenged in footpad with L. (L.) amazonensis promastigotes. Immunological, functional and histopathological studies will be carried out to analyze the efficacy of vaccines. In addition, heterologous challenges will be performed using L. (Viannia) shawi and L. (V.) braziliensis species. This project aims to contribute for the development of vaccine candidates against American Tegumentar Leishmaniasis. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CAMPOS, B. L. S.; SILVA, T. N.; RIBEIRO, S. P.; CARVALHO, K. I. L.; KALLAS, E. G.; LAURENTI, M. D.; PASSERO, L. F. D.. Analysis of iron superoxide dismutase-encoding DNA vaccine on the evolution of the Leishmania amazonensis experimental infection. PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, v. 37, n. 8, p. 407-416, AUG 2015. (12/10409-0, 12/05219-8, 11/51157-1)