Recovery of antigen-specific T cell responses from dogs infected with Leishmania (L.) infantum by use of vaccine associated TLR-agonist adjuvant.

ABSTRACT: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by infection with the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, is a fatal disease of dogs and humans. Protection against VL requires a T helper 1 (Th1) skewed CD4⁺ T response, but despite this knowledge, there are currently no approved-to-market vaccines for humans and only three veterinary-use vaccines globally. As VL progresses from asymptomatic to symptomatic, L. infantum-specific interferon gamma (IFNγ) driven-Th1 responses become dampened and a state of immune exhaustion established. T cell exhaustion and other immunoregulatory processes, starting during asymptomatic disease, are likely to hinder vaccine-induced responses if vaccine is administered to infected, but asymptomatic and seronegative, individuals. In this

SUBMITTER: Schaut RG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5053902 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature