Exploring a promising vaccine candidate against Leishmania major: Insights from Gp63, LACK, TSA, LmSTI1and KMP11 antigens in BALB/c mice

Leishmaniasis, a significant health issue in tropical regions, is spreading due to the challenges in treatment and the absence of an effective vaccine. The development of an effective vaccine for Leishmania major is crucial. This study aimed to assess the protective effectiveness of “Leish21,” a DNA vaccine containing multiple epitopes, against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. major in different groups of BALB/c mice. The Leish21 vaccine was successfully transfected into eukaryotic cells, and its expression was confirmed using RT-PCR. Following infection with L. major promastigotes, immunized mice with Leish21 + IL12 and Leish21 showed a significant reduction in lesion diameter compared to the control group. In conclusion, the Leish21 vaccine triggered a Th1 immune response, and the addition of IL12 enhanced its efficacy against L. major infection.