ANALYSIS OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS

使用确定抗原的疫苗接种在利什曼病中一直不成功 由于对免疫事件的不充分理解， 疾病 我们正在研究最近在小鼠模型中的发现， 利什曼病，其将T辅助细胞分成两个亚群。 在印度瓦拉纳西，一项研究人类骨骼的临床协议已经到位。 常规临床评价期间获得的骨髓和脾穿刺液 内脏利什曼病的患者。 制备RNA， 使用RT-PCR进行半定量，以确定 活动期和治愈期的患者。 疫苗行动的一笔赠款 该计划最近获得批准，将为美国的旅行提供资金。 调查员和旅行，设备，用品和人员， 位于巴西维托里亚的研究小组正在研究 IL-12作为免疫调节剂的应用 进行体外刺激，以观察抗原特异性免疫抑制 在内脏疾病患者中看到的是可以逆转的。 初步数据 表明人类疾病在某些方面与小鼠模型相似。我们 将继续开发这些地点，作为第三阶段的潜在地点 疫苗试验

Vaccination using defined antigens has been unsuccessful in leishmaniasis due to an inadequate understanding of the immune events leading to disease. We are pursing recent findings in the mouse model of leishmaniasis which separate T helper cells into two sub-populations. A clinical protocol is in place in Varanasi, India, to study human bone marrow and splenic aspirates obtained during routine clinical evaluation of patients with visceral leishmaniasis. RNA is prepared and semi-quantitated using RT-PCR to determine the cytokine transcripts in patients with active and cured disease. A grant from the Vaccine Action Programme was recently approved that will fund travel for the U.S. investigators and travel, equipment, supplies, and personnel for the Indian site.The group in Vitoria, Brazil is looking at the potential for the use of IL-12 as an immunomodulator Lymphocytes from peripheral blood are stimulated in vitro to see if the antigen specific immunosuppression seen in patients with visceral disease can be reversed. Preliminary data indicates human disease parellels the mouse model in some respects. We will continue to develop these sites as potential places for phase III vaccine trials.