CTLA-4 has recently been shown to act as a negative regulator of T cell activation. Here we provide evidence that blockade of CTLA-4 can result in enhanced host resistance to an intracellular pathogen. The administration of anti-CTLA-4 mAb 4F10 to BALB/c mice, 1 day following infection with Leishmania donovani, enhanced the frequency of IFN-gamma and IL-4 producing cells in both spleen and liver, and dramatically accelerated the development of a hepatic granulomatous response. The expression of mRNA for the CXC chemokine gammaIP-10 was also elevated above that seen in control Ab treated mice, and was directly correlated with the frequency of IFN-gamma producing cells. In contrast, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA levels were unaffected by anti-CTLA-4 treatment, suggesting that CTLA-4 blockade may exert selective effects on chemokine expression. These changes in tissue response and cytokine/chemokine production were accompanied by a 50 to 75% reduction of parasite load in the spleen and liver of anti-CTLA-4-treated animals compared to controls. Furthermore, administration of anti-CTLA-4 mAb 15 days after L. donovani infection, when parasite burden is increasing in both organs, also resulted in enhanced resistance. Thus, these studies indicate a potent immunomodulatory and potentially therapeutic role for interventions targeted at CTLA-4.