HisAK70 candidates have successfully been tested in cutaneous (CL) and visceral leishmaniosis (VL) mouse models. Here, we analyse different biomarkers in dog trials after a heterologous immunization strategy with a HisAK70 candidate (plasmid DNA plus adoptive transfer of peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with the same pathoantigen and CpG ODN as an adjuvant) to explore the antileishmanial activity in an ex vivo canine co-culture system in the presence of Leishmania infantum parasites. In the canine model, the heterologous HisAK70 vaccine could decrease the infection index in the DC-T cell co-culture system by up to 54% after 30 days and reach almost 67% after 100 days post-immunization, respectively, compared to those obtained in the control group of dogs. The observed security and potential to fight ex vivo L. infantum infection highlight a HisAK70 heterologous immunization strategy as a promising alternative to evaluate its effectiveness against canine VL.
Keywords: Canine leishmaniosis; Dendritic cells; Dogs; HisAK70; Vaccination; Visceral leishmaniosis; Zoonotic infection.
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