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Immunizing Mice with Influenza Virus-like Particles Expressing the <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i> Promastigote Surface Antigen Alleviates Inflammation in Footpad
oleh: Gi-Deok Eom, Ki Back Chu, Keon-Woong Yoon, Jie Mao, Sung Soo Kim, Fu-Shi Quan
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2024-07-01 |
Deskripsi
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a tropical disease endemic in many parts of the world. Characteristic clinical manifestations of CL include the formation of ulcerative skin lesions that can inflict life-long disability if left untreated. Although drugs are available, they are unaffordable and out of reach for individuals who need them the most. Developing a highly cost-efficient CL vaccine could address this problem but such a vaccine remains unavailable. Here, we developed a chimeric influenza virus-like particle expressing the <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i> promastigote surface antigen (LaPSA-VLP). LaPSA-VLPs were self-assembled in <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> insect cell lines using the baculovirus expression system. After characterizing the vaccines and confirming successful VLP assembly, BALB/c mice were immunized with these vaccines for efficacy assessment. Sera acquired from mice upon subcutaneous immunization with the LaPSA-VLP specifically interacted with the <i>L. amazonensis</i> soluble total antigens. LaPSA-VLP-immunized mice elicited significantly greater quantities of parasite-specific IgG from the spleens, popliteal lymph nodes, and footpads than unimmunized mice. LaPSA-VLP immunization also enhanced the proliferation of B cell populations in the spleens of mice and significantly lessened the CL symptoms, notably the footpad swelling and IFN-γ-mediated inflammatory response. Overall, immunizing mice with the LaPSA-VLPs prevented mice from developing severe CL symptoms, signifying their developmental potential.