Evaluation of the adjuvanticity of artemisinin with soluble Leishmania major antigens in BALB/c mice
Date
2009Author
Kimutai, Albert
Tonui, Willy K
Gicheru, Michael M
Ngure, Peter Kamau
Ingonga, Johnstone
Kepha, Stella
Njeru, Laban Ireri
Wachira, Dorcas
Muhia, Robert Karanja
Mwangi, Milkah
Nyamwamu, Lydia B
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objective
To determine the adjuvant potential of artemisinin with a soluble leishmanial antigen in vaccinating BALB/c mice.
Methods
Seventy two female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into six groups. The mice were vaccinated with soluble leishmania antigens (SLA) alone, artemisinin co-administered with SLA, SLA and Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and artemisinin and BCG alone. Unvaccinated mice formed the control group. The induction of cell-mediated immunity following vaccination was determined by measuring in vitro lymphocyte proliferation and the production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) determined by flow cytometry. Protection against L. major was determined by quantifying parasite burdens in L. major infected footpads using a limiting dilution assay and by measuring lesion sizes of the infected footpad compared to the contralateral uninfected footpad.
Results
Mice receiving SLA plus artemisinin produced significantly high levels of IL-4 and IL-5 (P < 0.05) and low levels of IFN-γ, resulting in exacerbated disease. In addition, subcutaneous administration of SLA + artemisinin, artemisinin alone or SLA alone resulted in the development of large footpad swellings and high parasite loads that were comparable to those of the control unvaccinated mice (P > 0.05), resulting in exacerbated disease.
Conclusion
These data suggest that artemisinin is not a suitable adjuvant for Leishmania vaccines. However, since artemisinin has been shown to be effective against Leishmania parasites in vitro and in vivo, further studies ought to be conducted to determine its immunochemotherapeutic potential when co-administered with Leishmania antigens
URI
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1007437609600848http://hdl.handle.net/11295/88829
Citation
Journal of Nanjing Medical University Volume 23, Issue 6, November 2009, Pages 359–372Subject
ArtemisininLeishmania
Soluble Leishmania antigens
Cytokine
Adjuvant
Interleukin-4 (IL-4)
IL-5;
IFN-γ
BALB/c mice
Immunity
Lesion size
Footpad lesion
Vaccine
Parasite burden
Proliferation
Stimulation index