Synthetic Glycovaccine Protects against the Bite of Leishmania-Infected Sand Flies

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 194; no. 4; pp. 512 - 518
• Main Authors: Rogers, Matthew E., Sizova, Olga V., Ferguson, Michael A. J., Nikolaev, Andrei V., Bates, Paul A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.08.2006; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Disease transmission; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycosylphosphatidylinositols - administration & dosage; Glycosylphosphatidylinositols - therapeutic use; Immunization; Infections; Infectious diseases; Injections, Subcutaneous; Insect Bites and Stings - prevention & control; Insect Vectors - parasitology; Leishmania mexicana; Leishmania mexicana - metabolism; Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - prevention & control; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - transmission; Lesions; Medical sciences; Medical syringes; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Parasites; Polysaccharides; Promastigotes; Protozoan Proteins - administration & dosage; Protozoan Proteins - therapeutic use; Protozoan Vaccines - administration & dosage; Protozoan Vaccines - therapeutic use; Psychodidae - parasitology; Salivary Glands - secretion; Vaccination; Kinetoplastida; Infection; Protozoa; Microbiology; Leishmania
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/505584

Leishmaniasis is a vectorborne disease transmitted to human and other mammalian hosts by sand fly bite. In the present study, we show that immunization with Leishmania mexicana promastigote secretory gel (PSG) or with a chemically defined synthetic glycovaccine containing the glycans found in L. mexicana PSG can provide significant protection against challenge by the bite of infected sand flies. Only the glycan from L. mexicana was protective; those from other species did not protect against L. mexicana infection. Furthermore, neither PSG nor the glycovaccine protected against artificial needle challenge, which is traditionally used in antileishmanial vaccine development. Conversely, an antigen preparation that was effective against needle challenge offered no protection against sand fly bite. These findings provide a new target for Leishmania vaccine development and demonstrate the critical role that the vector plays in the evaluation of candidate vaccines for leishmaniasis and other vectorborne diseases