Apoptotic blebs from Leishmania major-infected macrophages as a new approach for cutaneous leishmaniasis vaccination

Faridnia, Roghiyeh; Kalani, Hamed; Hezarjaribi, Hajar Ziaei; Denny, Paul W.; Rafie, Alireza; Fakhar, Mahdi; Virgilio, Stela

Abstract

We focused on apoptotic blebs from Leishmania major-infected macrophages as a vaccine for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Apoptosis was induced in L. major-infected J774A.1 cells in order to prepare apoptotic blebs. Test groups of BALB/c mice were immunized with these at doses of 1 × 106, 5 × 106 or 1 × 107 blebs. An immunization control group received Leishmania lysate antigens. The results showed that as the number of apoptotic bodies increased, the lymphocyte proliferation index increased, and this was proportional to IFN-γ level in the test groups. Additionally, the difference of IFN-γ, IL-4, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio, or total IgG (p < 0.0001) in all groups was statistically significant compared to the negative control group. The highest IFN-γ (514.0 ± 40.92 pg/mL) and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio (2.94 ± 0.22) were observed in the group that received 1 × 107 apoptotic blebs. The highest levels of IL-4 (244.6 ± 38.8 pg/mL) and total IgG (5626 ± 377 μg/mL) were observed in the immunization control group. Reflecting these data, no lesions were observed in any of the groups vaccinated with apoptotic blebs after 12 weeks. In summary, the use of apoptotic blebs from L. major-infected macrophages is protective against the challenge with L. major in this animal model.

Citation

Faridnia, R., Kalani, H., Hezarjaribi, H. Z., Denny, P. W., Rafie, A., Fakhar, M., & Virgilio, S. (2020). Apoptotic blebs from Leishmania major-infected macrophages as a new approach for cutaneous leishmaniasis vaccination. Microbial Pathogenesis, 147, Article 104406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104406

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 17, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jul 30, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Deposit Date: Jul 30, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 30, 2021
• Journal: Microbial Pathogenesis
• Print ISSN: 0882-4010
• Electronic ISSN: 1096-1208
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 147
• Article Number: 104406
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104406
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1295637