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Background: Heat shock proteins (HSP) are highly conserved molecules with many immunological functions. They are highly immunogenic with important role in cancer immunotherapy and in vaccine development against infectious diseases. As adjuvant, HSP can augment the immunogenicity of weak antigens and can stimulate antigen presenting cells. Although vaccines have been successful for many infectious diseases, progress in leishmaniasis has not been achieved. In this report, the protective effect of HSP-enriched soluble leishmania antigen (SLA) was determined. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized 3× with HSP-enriched SLA and SLA alone and 10 days after final boost. They were infected with 106 stationary phase promastigote of Leishmania major and immunological responses were followed until nine weeks. Results: No significant differences were observed in lymphocyte proliferation, footpad swelling, parasite burden, nitric oxide or IL-12 cytokine between HSP-enriched or SLA groups. Although the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, TGF-β, IgG1 and IgG2b were increased in both groups, IFN-γ was significantly higher in SLA group and IgG2a in HSP-enriched SLA. Conclusion: These results indicate that HSP direct the immune system towards Th2 pattern and does not have protective role in L. major infection.

Keywords: Leishmaniasis, Heat shock proteins (HSP), Adjuvant

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