Evaluation of the adjuvanticity of artemisinin with soluble Leishmania major antigens in BALB/c mice

作     者：Albert Kimutai Willy K. Tonui Michael M. Gicheru Peter Kamau Ngure Johnstone Ingonga Stella Kepha Laban Ireri Njeru Dorcas Wachira Robert Karanja Muhia Milkah Mwangi Lydia B. Nyamwamu 

作者机构：Department of Zoological Sciences Kenyatta University Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development Kenya Medical Research Institute Science Department Daystar University School of Biological Sciences University of Nairobi 

出 版 物：《Journal of Nanjing Medical University》 (南京医科大学学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2009年第23卷第6期

页      面：359-372页

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 0810[工学-信息与通信工程] 0808[工学-电气工程] 1001[医学-基础医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 100102[医学-免疫学] 10[医学] 0812[工学-计算机科学与技术（可授工学、理学学位）] 

基　　金：The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World TWAS 

主　　题：Artemisinin Leishmania Soluble Leishmania antigens BALB/c mice immunity cytokine adjuvant interleukin-4 （IL-4） IL-5 IFN-γ lesion size footpad lesion vaccine parasite burden proliferation stimulation index 

摘      要：Objective： To determine the adjuvant potential of artemisinin with a soluble leishmanial antigen in vaccinating BALB/c mice. Methods： Seventy two female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into six groups. The mice were vaccinated with soluble Leishmania antigens （SLA） alone, artemisinin co-administered with SLA, SLA and Bacille Calmette Gu fin （BCG） vaccine, and artemisinin and BCG alone. Unvaccinated mice formed the control group. The induction of cell-mediated immunity following vaccination was determined by measuring in vitro lymphocyte proliferation and the production of interleukin （IL）-4, IL-5 and gamma interferon （IFN-γ） determined by flow cytometry. Protection against L. major was determined by quantifying parasite burdens in L. major infected footpads using a limiting dilution assay and by measuring lesion sizes of the infected footpad compared to the contralateral uninfected footpad. Results： Mice receiving SLA plus artemisinin produced significantly high levels of IL-4 and IL-5 （P 〈 0.05） and low levels of IFN-γ, resulting in exacerbated disease. In addition, subcutaneous administration of SLA ＋ artemisinin, artemisinin alone or SLA alone resulted in the development of large footpad swellings and high parasite loads that were comparable to those of the control unvaccinated mice （P 〉 0.05）, resulting in exacerbated disease. Conclusion： These data suggest that artemisinin is not a suitable adjuvant for Leishmania vaccines. However, since artemisinin has been shown to be effective against Leishmania parasites in vitro and in vivo, further studies ought to be conducted to determine its immunochemotherapeutic potential when co-administered with Leishmania antigens.