Resolution of an infection with Leishmania braziliensis confers complete protection to a subsequent challenge with Leishmania Major in BALB/c mice
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
94(1): 71-6, Jan.-Feb. 1999. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-225933
ABSTRACT
Both Leishmania major and L. braziliensis induce cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Whereas BALB/c mice die of infection with L. major, they cure an infection with L. braziliensis. We report here that after curing an infection with L. braziliensis, BALB/c mice are resistant to challenge with L. major. When challenged with L. major, L. braziliensis pre-treated BALB/c mice mounted a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to L. major and produced high amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) but low amounts of interleukin-4. The IFN-gamma produced by the L. braziliensis pre-infected mice was involved in the protection seen against L. major challenge since treating the mice with a neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma abrogated the protection. This suggests that cross-reactive antigen epitopes exist between L. braziliensis and L. major and that pre-infection with L. braziliensis primes BALB/c mice to epitopes on L. major that can elicit a protective Th1 response to the parasite.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Leishmania braziliensis
/
Leishmania major
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
1999
Type:
Article
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