Therapeutic enhancement of protective immunity during experimental leishmaniasis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Leishmaniasis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the tropics. Available therapies are problematic due to toxicity, treatment duration and emerging drug resistance. Mouse models of leishmaniasis have demonstrated that disease outcome depends critically on the balance between effector and regulatory CD4(+) T cell responses, something mirrored in descriptive studies of human disease. Recombinant IL-2/diphtheria toxin fusion protein (rIL-2/DTx), a drug that is FDA-approved for the treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, has been reported to deplete regulatory CD4(+) T cells.

Methodology/principal findings

We investigated the potential efficacy of rIL-2/DTx as adjunctive therapy for experimental infection with Leishmania major. Treatment with rIL

SUBMITTER: Divanovic S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3167777 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature