Identification of Leishmania donovani antigens stimulating cellular immune responses in exposed immune individuals

Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala azar (KA) in India, is a systemic progressive disease caused by Leishmania donovani. In VL, Th1 responses correlate with recovery from and resistance to disease and resolution of infection results in lifelong immunity against the disease. However, recent data suggest an important role for interleukin (IL)-10 in maintaining the resistant state. We evaluated whole cell extract (WE) and 11 antigenic fractions [F1-F11, molecular weight (MW) range of 139-24.2 kDa] from L. donovani (2001 strain, a fresh field isolate from Bihar), for their ability to induce in vitro T cell proliferation and production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-12, IL-10 and IL-4 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of exposed immune individuals (14 patients with history of VL, 10 household endemic contacts) and 20 non-endemic healthy controls. Twenty-one of 24 exposed individuals and no healthy controls showed proliferative response to WE. Whole-extract activated IFN-gamma, IL-12, IL-10 levels were higher in the exposed group than in controls; IL-4 was not detectable in any of the samples. Among 21 responders to WE, frequent proliferative responses were seen to fractions F1-F4 (MW > 64.2 kDa) and none to fractions F5-F11; fractions F1-F11 stimulated comparable levels of IFN-gamma and IL-12 while IL-10 levels were higher in response to F5-F11 compared to F1-F4. These data demonstrate the presence of immunostimulatory antigens in the high MW fractions of whole L. donovani antigen. However, these fractions do not stimulate a Th1 response and produce variable amounts of IFN-gamma and the regulatory cytokine, IL-10. Hence, these high MW immunostimulatory fractions need to be evaluated in greater depth for their possible role as protective antigens.