Evaluation of Cellular Immune Responses in Dogs Immunized with Alum-Precipitated Autoclaved along with BCG and Imiquimod.

Background: We aimed to investigate the potential effects of BCG and imiquimod on improvement of current experimental vaccine against dogs in an endemic area of Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) in Iran.

Methods: During 2012 till 2014, seven mixed-breed shepherd dogs with no anti- antibodies and no response to Leishmanin reagent were immunized with 2 doses of alum-precipitated autoclaved (Alum-AML) while BCG and imiquimod (for skin pre-treatment) were used as adjuvants. The productions of a few characteristic cytokines of T-helper immune responses and the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) of the immunized animals were then evaluated, up to 300 days.

Naloxone Diminishes the Virulence and Modifies the Cellular Immune Responses of BALB/c Mice Infected with Leishmania major.

Purpose: Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice display strong susceptibility to the infection due to the induction of Th2 response. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of naloxone on virulence of L. major in BALB/c mice and the ensued cellular immune response.

Development of monoclonal antibodies against axenic amastigotes of strain in Iran: implication for diagnosis of Kala-azar.

Objectives: Leishmaniasis is endemic in 88 countries. Amastigote forms of are experts at exploiting host cell processes to establish infection. Monoclonal antibodies are key reagents used in the diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Assessment of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in precise identification and analysis of genetic polymorphisms for the evaluation of Leishmania parasites.

The polymorphism and genetic diversity of Leishmania genus has status under discussion depending on many items such as nuclear and/or mitochondrial genes, molecular tools, Leishmania species, geographical origin, condition of micro-environment of Leishmania parasites and isolation of Leishmania from clinical samples, reservoir host and vectors. The genetic variation of Leishmania species (L. major, L.

Comparing Montanide ISA 720 and 50-V2 adjuvants formulated with LmSTI1 protein of Leishmania major indicated the potential cytokine patterns for induction of protective immune responses in BALB/c mice.

Adjuvants have a key role in subunit vaccine formulations to generate protective immune responses. Herein, we present results of a comparative study on mice immunized with E. coli-derived rLmSTI1 antigen formulated with Montanide ISA 720 (Ag-M720) and ISA 50-V2 (Ag-M50) adjuvants against Leishmania major (L.

Oral treatment with zinc sulfate increases the expression of Th1 cytokines mRNA in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major.

Leishmaniases consist of a group of diseases caused by protozoan parasites of Leishmania genus. The outcome of the disease depends on the immune responses of the host as well as the pathogenicity of the strain of the parasite. In murine models, the inoculation of Leishmania major into resistant mice results in Th1 responses and recovery from the infection.

Double-Blind Randomized Efficacy Field Trial of Alum Precipitated Autoclaved Leishmania major (Alum-ALM) Vaccine Mixed With BCG Plus Imiquimod Vs. Placebo Control Group.

Background: Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is not only an emerging veterinary concern but also a public health threat in endemic areas. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of two doses of aluminum hydroxide (alum) precipitated Leishmania major (Alum-ALM) mixed with BCG plus imiquimod against CVL.

Methods: A total of 560 ownership dogs were serologically tested and 234 healthy dogs with no clinical signs of CVL, no anti-Leishmania antibodies and negative leishmanin skin test were selected and double-blind randomly injected intradermally either with 0.

Immunotherapeutic effects of chitin in comparison with chitosan against Leishmania major infection.

Chitin and chitosan microparticles (MPs) are important immune system stimulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of these compounds in comparison with each other against Leishmania infection in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major (L. major).

Leishmania major strains isolated from distinct endemic areas show diverse cytokine mRNA expression levels in C57BL/6 mice: Toward selecting an ideal strain for the vaccine studies.

Leishmania major, the causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis shows heterogeneity and diverse clinical manifestations in different areas of infection and experimental models. Such polymorphism may cause difficulties in selection of reliable strains for development of prophylaxes. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify an ideal strain of L.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis: seroprevalence survey of asymptomatic dogs in an endemic area of northwestern Iran.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis is a major public health problem that is endemic in tropical and sub tropical countries and is fatal in humans and dogs. In addition to symptomatic dogs, asymptomatic ones seem as source of Leishmania infantum infection. Thus surveillance and control programs of reservoir hosts are essential.

Comparative analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in tumor tissues, lymph nodes and the peripheral blood from patients with breast cancer.

Background: CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are the main types of lymphocytes in cell-mediated immunity and play a central role in the induction of efficient immune responses against tumors. The frequencies of T cell subtypes in the peripheral blood and tumor tissues, and draining lymph nodes (dLN) can be considered as useful markers for evaluation of the immune system in cancers.

Methods: In this study, the frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood, tumor tissues, and dLN samples of breast cancer patients were compared with each other and with similar tissues from normal individuals.

Immunomodulatory effects of chitin microparticles on Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice.

Chitin and its some derivatives are known to be non-allergic and non-toxic substances. It has been shown that chitin microparticles have immunomodulatory activities. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo immunomodulatory activities of chitin microparticles (CMPs) on Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Effects on Psychoimmunological Factors of Chemically Pulmonary Injured Veterans.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) as a new therapeutic technique in energy psychology has positive effects on psychological and physiological symptoms, and quality of life. In this research we studied the effect of this treatment on immunological factors. This study tested whether 8-week group sessions of EFT (compared to a wait-list control group) with emphasis on patient's respiratory, psychological and immunological problems in chemically pulmonary injured veterans (N=28) can affect on immunological and psychological factors.

FOXP3 expression and frequency of regulatory T cells in healed individuals from Leishmania major infection and the asymptomatic cases.

Two groups of residents in an endemic area of Leishmania major infection in Iran with positive leishmanin skin tests who were either asymptomatic or had healed cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions were compared with respect to their T helper responses. The percentages of regulatory T cells (Treg; CD4(+)CD25(high) FoxP3(+)) from the peripheral blood and CD4(+) T cells producing intracellular cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 and IFN-γ) from the stimulated PBMCs were evaluated by flow cytometry and the expressions of RORC and FOXP3 genes were quantified by real-time RT-PCR. T responder (CD4(+)CD25(-)) and Treg-enriched (CD4(+)CD25(+)) cells were isolated magnetically and the suppressive capacity of the latter and the cytokines (IFN-γ, TGF-β and IL-10) secreted from them were evaluated by in vitro assays.

Ferroportin-encapsulated nanoparticles reduce infection and improve immunity in mice infected with Leishmania major.

Inoculation of inbred mice by Leishmania major results in two different patterns. C57BL/6 mice display resistance against L. major but BALB/c mice show susceptibility to L.

Molecular epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis and heterogeneity of Leishmania major strains in Iran.

Objective: To determine the geographical distribution of Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and to study the genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania major isolates from different endemic areas of Iran.

Methods: A total of 341 isolates from lesions of patients living in 11 provinces of Iran were grown in culture medium and inoculated to BALB/c mice to detect possible visceralisation. The species were identified by isoenzyme analysis using a battery of six enzymes and kinetoplast (k) DNA-PCR technique.

Assessment of interferon-γ levels and leishmanin skin test results in persons recovered for leishmaniasis.

Patients who recover from leishmaniasis usually show development of strong immunity and induction of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and delayed type hypersensitivity. In a randomized trial, we analyzed the IFN-γ response by using a Quantiferon-Leishmania assay against three Leishmania peptide antigens and compared it with results of the leishmanin skin test (LST) in persons residing in areas in Iran to which zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL, 181 persons), anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL, 104 persons), and zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL, 67 persons) are endemic. The percentage of persons with an IFN-γ-positive response (> 0.

Simultaneous immunisation with a Wilms' tumour 1 epitope and its ubiquitin fusions results in enhanced cell mediated immunity and tumour rejection in C57BL/6 mice.

Protein fusion to ubiquitin results in its targeting to proteasome and processing through MHC class I pathway. We used this approach to induce cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against a MHC class I epitope. Therefore, two known proteasome targeting systems, "ubiquitin fusion degradation" (UFD) and "N-end rule", were used to immunise C57BL/6 mice.

In vitro and in vivo activities of Peganum harmala extract against Leishmania major.

Background: In vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of crude hydroalcoholic extract of peganum harmala seeds were investigated against Leishmania major.

Methods: The extract of aerial parts of P harmala was obtained by maceration. The in vitro experiments were performed on promastigotes to assess antileishmanial activity of the extract using amphotericin B as a reference.

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of P4 Nuclease from Leishmania infantum.

Parasite of the genus Leishmania is reliant on the salvage pathway for recycling of ribonucleotides. A class I nuclease enzyme also known as P4 nuclease is involved in salvage of purines in cutaneous Leishmania species but the relevant enzymes have not been characterized in Leishmania infantum (L. infantum).

Genotypically distinct strains of Leishmania major display diverse clinical and immunological patterns in BALB/c mice.

Infection with Leishmania major species is endemic in many provinces of Iran. Isolates from four endemic areas located in north (Damghan), center (Kashan), west (Dehloran), and south (Shiraz) of country which showed major distinctive polymorphism by RAPD-PCR method were evaluated. Isolates were inoculated to different groups of BALB/c mice and their clinical and immunological status was compared.

Leishmania species: detection and identification by nested PCR assay from skin samples of rodent reservoirs.

Many rodent species act as reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic areas. In the present study a simple and reliable assay based on nested PCR was developed for the detection and identification of Leishmania parasites from rodent skin samples. We designed Leishmania-specific primers that successfully amplified ITS regions of Leishmania major, Leishmania gerbilli and Leishmania turanica using nested PCR.

Leishmania major lipophosphoglycan: discrepancy in Toll-like receptor signaling.

Lipophosphoglycan (LPG) is structurally characterized by a series of phosphoglycan repeat units. Cellular LPG, isolated from promastigotes, has a very similar structure to culture supernatant LPG, but differs in the average number of phosphorylated oligosaccharide repeat units and in glycan composition. Comparison of these LPGs with capillary electrophoresis and immunoblotting indicate that these molecules are highly conserved structurally and composed of galactosylated Gal-Man repeats but their size and molecular weight are very different which is due to glycan portion.

Mechanisms controlling anaemia in Trypanosoma congolense infected mice.

Background: Trypanosoma congolense are extracellular protozoan parasites of the blood stream of artiodactyls and are one of the main constraints on cattle production in Africa. In cattle, anaemia is the key feature of disease and persists after parasitaemia has declined to low or undetectable levels, but treatment to clear the parasites usually resolves the anaemia.

Methodology/principal Findings: The progress of anaemia after Trypanosoma congolense infection was followed in three mouse strains.