Heterologous prime-boost vaccination with the LACK antigen protects against murine visceral leishmaniasis

This study reports the efficacy of a heterologous prime-boost vaccination using DNA and vaccinia viruses (Western Reserve [WR] virus and modified [attenuated] vaccinia virus Ankara [MVA]) expressing the LACK antigen (Leishmania homologue of receptors for activated C kinase) and an intradermal murine infection model employing Leishmania infantum. At 1 month postinfection, vaccinated mice showed high levels of protection in the draining lymph node (240-fold reduction in parasite burden) coupled with significant levels of gamma interferon (20 to 200 ng/ml) and tumor necrosis factor alpha/lymphotoxin (8 to 134 pg/ml). Significant but lower levels of protection (6- to 30-fold) were observed in the spleen and liver. Comparable levels of protection were found for mice boosted with either LACK-WR or LACK-MVA, supporting the use of an attenuated vaccinia virus-based vaccine against human visceral leishmaniasis.