Liposomes carrying differential charges have been extensively studied for their role in stimulating dendritic cells (DCs), major antigen-presenting cells, known to serve as a pivotal bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. However, the impact of the differentially charged liposomes on activating DCs remains to be understood. In this study, we have investigated the impact of 1,2-distearoyl--glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC)-based neutral, anionic, and cationic liposomes on the uptake, immunostimulation, and intracellular fate in mouse bone-marrow-derived DCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the major global health concerns due to its association with morbidity and mortality. All available diagnostic tools have been, until now, unable to provide a very specific and cost-effective mode of detection for VL globally. Therefore, the design of robust, specific, and commercially translatable diagnostic tests is urgently required.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a threat in many developing countries. Much effort has been put to eliminating this disease, for which serodiagnosis remains the mainstay for VL control programs. New and improved antigens as diagnostic candidates are required, though, as the available antigens fail to demonstrate equal optimum performance in all areas of endemicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunosuppression is a characteristic feature of chronic leishmaniasis. The dynamicity and the functional cross talks of host immune responses during infection are still not clearly understood. Here we explored the functional aspects of accumulation of immune suppressive cellular and cytokine milieu during the progression of murine visceral leishmaniasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNumerous experimental DNA vaccines have been tested against , whose clinical use is mostly limited due to insufficient CD8 T cell-mediated immunity arising from poor gene delivery or presentation. Hence, there remains an important public health demand for a better vaccine adjuvant to combat leishmaniasis: ensuring proper antigen delivery coupled with strong cell mediated immune (CMI) response. To this end, we herein report, for the first time, novel cationic liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) intercalated into the 1,2-distearoyl--glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) lipid bilayer as an adjuvant for a DNA vaccine to enhance antileishmanial immunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite advances, identification and formulation of safe and effective vaccine for long-lasting protection against leishmaniasis is still inadequate. In this study, we have identified a novel antigen, leishmanial elongation factor-1α (EF1-α), as an immunodominant component of solubilized leishmanial membrane antigens that reacts with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) sera and induces cellular proliferative and cytokine response in PBMCs of cured VL subjects. Leishmanial EF1-α is a 50 kDa antigen that plays a crucial role in pathogen survival by regulating oxidative burst in the host phagocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeishmaniasis is a neglected protozoan disease that mainly affects the tropical as well as subtropical countries of the world. The primary option to control the disease still relies on chemotherapy. However, a hindrance to treatments owing to the emergence of drug-resistant parasites, enormous side effects of the drugs, their high cost, and requirement of long course hospitalization has added to the existing problems of leishmaniasis containment program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aurora kinases are key mitotic kinases executing multiple aspects of eukaryotic cell-division. The apicomplexan homologs being essential for survival, suggest that the Leishmania homolog, annotated LdAIRK, may be equally important.
Methods: Bioinformatics, stage-specific immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoblotting, RT-PCR, molecular docking, in-vitro kinase assay, anti-leishmanial activity assays, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy.