The adjuvant effect of interleukin-12 in a vaccine against Leishmania major.

Afonso, L C; Scharton, T M; Vieira, L Q; Wysocka, M; Trinchieri, G; Scott, P · Science · 1994

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Protection induced by vaccination depends on the capacity of the vaccine to elicit an appropriate immune response. In leishmaniasis, protection requires leishmanial-specific CD4+ T helper (TH) cells. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with leishmanial antigens and interleukin-12 (IL-12) promoted the development of leishmanial-specific CD4+ TH1 cells. These mice were resistant to subsequent infection with Leishmania major. Thus, IL-12 is an effective adjuvant for the initiation of protective cell-mediated immunity against leishmaniasis and may be an important component in other vaccines that need to induce cell-mediated immunity.

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