Title : Possibilities and challenges in developing a vaccine against leishmaniasis
Abstract:
A vaccine against kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis), which is caused by the various species of a parasite that belongs to the genus Leishmania, is still an unrealized goal. The major reason behind this is the poor immunogenicity of Leishmania antigens, which do not qualify the parameters required by the vaccine antigens. Therefore, both, host and parasite specific studies are needed to identify the hurdles in-route and the factors that could be used to augment immunogenicity of antigens and vaccine induced immunity. We have been working in pursuit of a vaccine candidate for visceral leishmaniasis for the past two decades, and our studies have provided valuable insights and lessons that could be used to manipulate vaccine induced immunity against Leishmania. Here, we present the role of a few immune inhibitory receptors that could be used to enhance the effector functions of antigen specific T cells against Leishmania antigens.
