As phospho proteins are reported to be involved in virulence and survival, the ability of Leishmania to inhibit macrophage effector functions may result from a direct interference of leishmanial molecules with macrophage signal transduction pathways. Several such proteins such as pp63, pp41 and pp29 have also been identified as a Th1 stimulatory protein in the Leishmania donovani. In the present study, the immunogenicity of a cocktail of pp63+pp41+pp29 was assessed by estimation of serum antibody titre, nitric oxide(NO) production, estimation of Th1 cytokine(IFN-γ) as well as Th2 cytokines(IL-4), and determination of parasite load in L. donovani infected mice. In the group immunized with antigenic cocktail there was a sharp rise in antibody titer up to Day 20 which reduced considerably by Day 50. Groups of mice vaccinated with pp63, pp41, pp29 and the antigenic cocktail expressed 10-fold, 16-fold, 22-fold and 25-fold increase respectively in NO production by splenocytes. The animal groups immunized with pp63, pp41, pp29 and the antigenic cocktail showed reduced parasite load in the liver and spleen, as well as increased IFN-gamma production in the spleen. Furthermore immunized animals remained with a normal hematological profile, whereas L. donovani in unimmunized mice lead to significant anemia.
Keywords: Interferon gamma; Leishmania donovani; Nitric oxide; Phosphoproteins; Visceral leishmaniasis.
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