VACCINATION OF DIFFERENT STRAINS OF MICE AGAINST CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS - USEFULNESS OF MEMBRANE-ANTIGENS ENCAPSULATED INTO LIPOSOMES BY INTRAPERITONEAL AND SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION

The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of parasite-s urface molecules reconstituted into liposomes to vaccinate four differ ent strains of mice (C57BL/10, CBA/ca, C57BL/6 and NZB) with different levels of susceptibility to L. m. mexicana infection and to find out possible increases in specific antibody response after vaccination, bu t before infection with virulent promastigotes, Mice were vaccinated w ith parasite membrane antigens incorporated into liposomes and antibod y levels were recorded. Vaccination was effective to protect CBA/ca an d C57BL/6 but not C57BL/10 mice and NZB animals were naturally resista nt. Intraperitoneal (ip) was more effective than the subcutaneous (sc) route of inoculation, and the induction of disease-resistance correla ted with the production of IgG anti-leishmania in CBA/ca, C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 mice.