Vaccination of Balb/c mice against experimental visceral leishmaniasis with the GP36 glycoprotein antigen of Leishmania donovani

Leishmania donovani GP36 glycoprotein is the main antigen of the FML Fucose Mannose Ligand (FML) complex specifically recognized by sera of kala-azar human patients. The GP36 was isolated by chemical elution + sonication and used for Balb;c mouse vaccination in combination with saponin, by the s.c. route, inducing a strong and specific protective effect against experimenta l visceral leishmaniasis shown by the increase of: specific IgG antibodies (82.6%). mainly IgG2a. the delayed type of hypersensitivity to promastigote lysate (37.8%. P < 0.001), the in vitro cellular proliferative response to GP36 of ganglia lymphocytes (53.5%. P < 0.005) and the decrease of liver p arasite burden (68.1%, P <0.025). Saponin treated controls reacted signific antly differently from GP36 vaccinated animals at all the assayed variables (P < 0.05). GP36 induced significant protection against murine visceral le ishmaniasis at concentrations commonly used For vaccination with recombinan t antigens. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.