PMID: 8943412Dec 1, 1996Paper

Molecular cloning of a novel protein antigen of Leishmania major that elicits a potent immune response in experimental murine leishmaniasis

The Journal of Immunology : Official Journal of the American Association of Immunologists
J R WebbSteven G Reed

Abstract

BALB/c mice are highly susceptible to infection with the protozoan parasite Leishmania major. This susceptibility has been attributed, in part, to the expansion of parasite-specific CD4+ Th2 cells that antagonize Th1 responses and promote humoral immunity. In the present study, we have utilized sera from L. major-infected BALB/c mice to screen an L. major amastigote cDNA expression library. One of the clones detected encodes a novel Ag designated as L. major stress-inducible 1 (LmSTI1). LmSTI1 contains six copies of the tetratricopeptide consensus motif and is highly related to a family of stress-inducible proteins that is conserved from yeast to humans. Sera from L. major-infected BALB/c mice have LmSTI1-specific Ab titers in excess of 1:200,000, comprised predominantly of IgG1, IgG2A, and IgG2B isotypes. Recombinant LmSTI1 protein elicited strong proliferative responses from draining lymph node cells of L. major-infected BALB/c mice at both early (10 days) and late (28 days) stages of infection and elicited production of high levels of IFN-gamma and low levels of IL-4. In contrast, soluble leishmanial lysate elicited high levels of IL-4 and low IFN-gamma production. Thus, we have identified an Ag of Leishmania capable of elic...Continue Reading

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