The protective effect of the Synadenium carinatum latex lectin (ScLL), and the possibility of using it as an adjuvant in murine model of vaccination against American cutaneous leishmaniasis, were evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized with the lectin ScLL (10, 50, 100 microgram/animal) separately or in association with the soluble Leishmania amazonensis antigen (SLA). After a challenge infection with 10(6) promastigotes, the injury progression was monitored weekly by measuring the footpad swelling for 10 weeks. ScLL appeared to be capable of conferring partial protection to the animals, being most evident when ScLL was used in concentrations of 50 and 100 microgram/animal. Also the parasite load in the interior of macrophages showed significant reduction (61.7%) when compared to the control group. With regard to the cellular response, ScLL 50 and 100 microgram/animal stimulated the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction significantly (P < 0.05) higher than SLA or SLA plus ScLL 10 weeks after the challenge infection. The detection of high levels of IgG2a and the expression of mRNA cytokines, such as IFN-gamma, IL-12, and TNF-alpha (Th1 profiles), corroborated the protective role of this lectin against cutaneous leishmaniasis. This is the first report of the ScLL effect on leishmaniasis and shows a promising role for ScLL to be explored in other experimental models for treatment of leishmaniasis.
*Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology ; Antibody Formation ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Cytokines/genetics/immunology ; Euphorbiaceae/*chemistry ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed/immunology ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Latex/chemistry ; Leishmania/immunology ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/*immunology/pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics/immunology ; Plant Lectins/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Protozoan Vaccines/immunology/pharmacology ; Skin/pathology

Babesia gibsoni is an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasite that causes piroplasmosis in dogs. B. gibsoni infection is characterized clinically by fever, regenerative anemia, splenomegaly, and sometimes death. Since no vaccine is available, rapid and accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment of infected animals are required to control this disease. Over the past decade, several candidate molecules have been identified using biomolecular techniques in the authors' laboratory for the development of a serodiagnostic method, vaccine, and drug for B. gibsoni. This review article describes newly identified candidate molecules and their applications for diagnosis, vaccine production, and drug development of B. gibsoni.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/*diagnostic use/*immunology ; Antiprotozoal Agents/*isolation & purification/pharmacology ; Babesia/*drug effects/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Babesiosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/prevention & control ; Dogs ; Drug Discovery/methods ; Protozoan Vaccines/*immunology