PD-1 and PD-L1 regulate cellular immunity in canine visceral leishmaniasis

PD-1 is a negative costimulator of chronic infectious diseases In this study, we investigated the expression of PD-1 and its ligands in the spleen of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis and lymphoproliferative response to soluble antigen, in lymph node cells in the presence or absence of antibodies blocking PD-1 and its ligands. Our results showed expression of PD-1 and its ligands is higher after L. infantum infection and in the spleen of infected dogs, PD-1 blockage was able to restore the antigen-dependent lymphoproliferative response and regulated production of the cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 and NO production. We concluded that L. infantum infection modulates PD-1 and its ligands expression in canine VL and that blockage of PD-1 restores the immune response. Thus, blockage of PD-1 is a target for therapeutic drug development.     

Analysis of immune responses in dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis before, and after, drug treatment.

The incidence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is increasing in the Mediterranean region. Many drugs have been tested for treatment of CVL, but little is known regarding their effect on test immune responses. In our study, three dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum and five dogs experimentally infected with the same strain, were treated with dimethasulfonate pentamidine (Lomidine) and the immune response evaluated before, and after, treatment. After the last injection, animals began to gain weight and the major clinical signs disappeared. Antibody titers gradually decreased to low levels, six months after treatment. At the same time, antigen specific lymphoproliferation reappeared in the sampled animals. This study shows that, after treatment, immune cellular responses to leishmanial antigens, involved in protection against Leishmania infection, were established.     

Diagnostic and prognostic potential of antibodies against O-acetylated sialic acids in canine visceral leishmaniasis.

Employing bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) as the coating agent, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BSM-ELISA) was developed to detect antibodies directed against O-acetylated sialic acids (O-AcSA) in canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Serum samples were collected from 50 dogs previously screened by a parasite-ELISA to detect anti-leishmanial antibodies and designated as seropositive (n = 30) and seronegative (n = 20). The BSM-ELISA detected anti-O-AcSA antibodies in 29 out of 30 seropositive dogs and was negative in 15 out of 20 seronegative dogs; the sensitivity and specificity of the assay being 96.6% and 75%, respectively. Seven dogs from an endemic area in central Israel were longitudinally monitored for 15 months clinically, serologically and cultured for parasite. The levels of antibodies directed against O-AcSA increased with the appearance of clinical symptoms and/or seropositivity, disappeared when the disease was self-limiting as also with chemotherapeutic response and reappeared with relapse. The BSM-ELISA, therefore, represents a valuable tool for assessment of disease progression.     

Evaluation of the potential causes of epistaxis in dogs with natural visceral leishmaniasis.

Haemostasis was evaluated in 19 dogs with natural Leishmania infection, six of them with a history of epistaxis, and the results were compared with the results from 24 healthy dogs. In addition, the dogs' blood pressure was measured and biopsies were taken from the nasal mucosa. Buccal mucosa bleeding time was prolonged in the dogs with leishmaniasis (P < 0.002) and most significantly in those with epistaxis (P < 0.005). None of the Leishmania-infected dogs had thrombocytopenia, low levels of plasma von Willebrand factor antigen, a prolonged prothrombin time or activated partial thromboplastin time, a low plasma fibrinogen concentration or high serum fibrin degradation products. These results rule out defects of secondary haemostasis or disseminated intravascular coagulation as significant causes of epistaxis in non-complicated leishmaniasis. Histopathology of the nasal mucosa of 10 of the affected dogs, three of them with epistaxis, revealed ulcerative and inflammatory lesions in all of them.     

Participation of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis

The vectorial competence of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus is discussed in relation to the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis, taking into account its strict association with dogs and the low indices of natural infection presented by its known vector, the phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. In order to evaluate natural infection by Leishmania chagasi and the infectivity of these parasites in the tick, 39 specimens (6 females, 11 males and 22 nymphs) of R. sanguineus were removed from 21 dogs showing diverse symptoms of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL). Six ticks (15.4%) gave positive results for the genus Leishmania using the PCR technique. To determine the infectivity of the parasites, 36 hamsters were inoculated orally and peritoneally with macerates of ticks removed from nine dogs symptomatic for visceral leishmaniasis. After 6 months the hamsters were sacrificed and necropsied. Serum was removed for IFAT, as well as spleen and liver fragments to make imprint smears and for PCR. Eight (88.9%) of these dogs presented ticks that were infective for 14 hamsters (41.2%), 12 (85.7%) of them infected peritoneally and two (14.3%) orally. PCR revealed 27 smears (40.9%) to be positive, 20 (62.5%) of them infected peritoneally and seven (20.6%) orally. IFAT showed 14 positive animals (41.2%). Based on these findings, we suggest that the vectorial capacity of R. sanguineus for L. chagasi should be evaluated further, opening new perspectives in the epidemiology of ZVL.     

Differentiation between canine cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis by the detection of immunoglobulin G specific for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi antigens using flow cytometry

Flow cytometry employing Leishmania (L.) chagasi (Lc) and L. (Viannia) braziliensis (Lb) antigen was used to establish the differential diagnosis between visceral (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in dogs. Flow cytometry permitted the detection of Leishmania-specific immunoglobulin G in sera from 19 dogs: nine with CL and 10 with VL. A significant difference in the percentage of positive staining was observed in sera from dogs with CL between the homologous antigen (69% for Lb) and the heterologous antigen (42% for Lc). However, this difference was not significant in sera from dogs with VL (61% for Lb and 73% for Lc). No significant staining was observed in control sera (0.6% for Lb and 0.4% for Lc) consisting of samples from healthy dogs, or in the group with sporotrichosis (1.8% for Lb and 1.5% for Lc), a differential diagnosis of CL. The results suggest that flow cytometry might be useful for the differentiation between CL and VL in dogs, with practical applications in areas where the two infections overlap.     

Effect of recombinant canine distemper vaccine on antibody titers in previously vaccinated dogs

Two canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine types are currently commercially available: modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines and a canarypox recombinant CDV (rCDV) vaccine (Recombitek, Merial). This study compared the ability of the rCDV vaccine and MLV vaccines to significantly enhance (boost) the antibody response of previously immunized adult and juvenile dogs. A significant (fourfold or greater) increase in titer occurred in significantly more dogs revaccinated with Recombitek C-4 or Recombitek C-6 than with the MLV-CDV vaccines. This study demonstrates that Recombitek, the only vaccine for dogs containing rCDV, is more likely to significantly boost the CDV antibody response in previously vaccinated dogs than are the MLV-CDV vaccines. Because rCDV vaccine can boost the antibody titer of dogs previously vaccinated with an MLV vaccine, it can and should be used when core vaccines are readministered.     

犬瘟热病毒融合蛋白、血凝蛋白、基质蛋白和核衣壳蛋白基因DNA联合免疫的研究

为研究犬瘟热病毒(CDV)融合蛋白(F)、血凝蛋白(H)、基质膜蛋白(M)和核衣壳蛋白(N)基因核酸联合免疫的效力,本研究分别构建了表达经哺乳动物密码子优化的CDV F、H、M和N蛋白基因的真核重组表达质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM和p CAGG-CDVN;将其分别转染BHK-21细胞后通过间接免疫荧光试验表明,目的蛋白均获得正确表达。此外,将等量混合的重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM(3组份DNA疫苗)或重组质粒p CAGG-CDVF、p CAGG-CDVH、p CAGG-CDVM、p CAGG-CDVN(4组份DNA疫苗),分别以500μg/只经肌肉注射途径免疫A组(6只)或B组(6只)比格犬,间隔4周以相同剂量、途径加强免疫一次,并于初次免疫前、后不同时间检测血清CDV中和抗体。中和试验结果显示,A组和B组免疫犬,二免4周时,CDV中和抗体滴度平均值达到峰值,分别为6 log2和5.64 log2;在初免54周时,CDV中和抗体滴度均仍然维持5 log2。因此,3组份DNA疫苗为具有良好应用前景的犬瘟热候选疫苗。     

Leishmune vaccine: the newest tool for prevention and control of canine visceral leishmaniosis and its potential as a transmission-blocking vaccine

Canine visceral leishmaniosis is a life-threatening disease caused by Leishmania infantum. For quite some time, specialists in leishmaniosis have tried to develop more affordable and effective control measures against this disease. In this search, the first vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniosis was recently licensed in Brazil. In the light of recent research, the Leishmune vaccine might be seen as the newest tool for prevention and control of canine visceral leishmaniosis. Moreover, the potential of the Leishmune as a transmission-blocking vaccine has recently been demonstrated, indicating its usefulness in the control of zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis.     

The immune response and PBMC subsets in canine visceral leishmaniasis before, and after, chemotherapy

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets, in vitro lymphoproliferative response to leishmanial antigen, and Leishmania-specific serum antibody levels were examined in 11 dogs, naturally infected with L. infantum, and 9 healthy control dogs. A decrease in the percentage of CD4+ T-cells and an increase in the proportion of gammadelta T-cells and sIgG+ B-cells were observed during canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). These changes may be responsible for the marked humoral response and the absence of in vitro lymphoproliferation to mitogen and specific parasite antigens. This possibility was supported by the analysis of these subsets after treatment with amphotericin B. One month after therapy, a significant increase in the percentage of CD4+ T-cells and a decrease of gammadelta T-cells and sIgG+ B-cells were observed. At the same time, the lymphocyte blastogenesis assay with leishmanial antigen was positive and the levels of specific antibodies to Leishmania were significantly lower than before the treatment. Five months after therapy, lymphocyte proliferative response to LSA disappeared, antibody and lymphocyte subsets levels returned to those observed during CVL. Therapeutic failure in CVL is associated with the inability of antileishmanial drugs to completely revert the profound immunodepression induced by the infection and prevent relapse.     

Encephalitis in dogs associated with a batch of canine distemper (Rockborn) vaccine

During a period of seven months in 1982-83 cases of postvaccinal encephalitis were recorded in dogs in various parts of Britain after the administration of a particular batch of combined distemper/hepatitis vaccine. Detailed investigations of one of these cases revealed that the distemper component was responsible and the vaccine virus was recovered from the brain of an affected dog.     

Three-year duration of immunity in dogs vaccinated with a canarypox-vectored recombinant canine distemper virus vaccine

Two studies evaluated the duration of serologic response to the recombinant, canarypox-vectored canine distemper virus vaccine (Recombitek, Merial). Serologic duration of immunity was shown to be at least 36 months. Thus, Recombitek provides protection when administered less frequently than the manufacturer's label. After the initial vaccination protocol of two or more doses administered approximately 4 weeks apart, with the last dose given at 12 to 16 weeks of age or older, and re-vaccination at 1 year of age, Recombitek can confidently be readministered every 3 years with assurance of protection in immunocompetent dogs. This allows the vaccine to be administered in accordance with the recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force and others.     

Comparison of PCR methods for diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in conjunctival swab samples

Four PCR assays for detection of Leishmania DNA in conjunctival swab samples were compared. All methods had two steps: a first amplification followed by hybridization or by a new amplification (nested or seminested). Two methods (kDNA PCR-hybridization and kDNA snPCR) used primers targeted to the minicircles of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and the other two methods to the coding (LnPCR) and intergenic noncoding regions (ITS-1 nPCR) of ribosomal rRNA genes. kDNA PCR-hybridization was positive for 22/23 dogs (95.6%) and for 40/46 samples (86.9%), considering the right and the left conjunctivas. kDNA snPCR was positive for 21/23 dogs (91.3%) and for 40/46 samples (86.9%). The ITS-1 nPCR and LnPCR were both able to detect the parasites in 17/23 dogs (73.9%) and 29/46 (63%) and 30/46 (65.2%) samples, respectively. The positivities of the kDNA based methods were significantly higher; however the choice of the best method will depend on the kind of information required with the diagnosis.     

Histopathology, parasite density and cell phenotypes of the popliteal lymph node in canine visceral leishmaniasis

While enlargement of popliteal lymph nodes (LN) is frequently described in canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), there are few histopathologic studies of lymph nodes during this chronic immunopathological condition. Besides a detailed histopathologic analysis, we have characterized the parasite load and major immunophenotypic features of the LN in Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi-infected dogs. Our major histopathological findings highlight that hypertrophy/hyperplasia of LN cortical and medullary zones was the principal characteristic observed in asymptomatic dogs (AD), whereas atrophy of LN cortical zone was predominant in symptomatic animals (SD). The LN parasite density detected by anti-Leishmania immunohistochemical assay or expressed as Leishman Donovan Units was also highly correlated with the skin parasitism, the most reliable parameter to decode the clinical status of CVL. The major LN immunophenotypic changes during ongoing CVL were an increased frequency of T-lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ T-cells, up-regulation of MHC-II expression by lymphocytes and decreased levels of CD21+ B-cells. Our findings further demonstrated that changes in the LN B-lymphocyte compartment exhibited a negative correlation with the skin parasite load. Conversely, we also showed evidence for a positive association between skin parasitism and LN T-cell-mediated immunity, suggesting that T-cells, especially CD8+ lymphocytes, may have a Type-2 immunological profile in this lymphoid tissue in response to CVL.     

Recombinant single-chain canine interleukin 12 induces interferon gamma mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Canine visceral leishmaniasis poses important concerns for public health and veterinary medicine in many areas of the world. Resistance to it seems to be associated with cellular specific immune responses of the so-called Th1 type. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is one of the most potent inducers of Th1 type of immune responses to co-administered antigens. Herein, the cloning of canine IL-12, as a single-chain fusion protein (sccaIL-12), and its expression in biologically active form in COS-7 cells is reported. Supernatants from these cells stimulated the expression of comparable amounts of interferon gamma mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from dogs with natural visceral leishmaniasis. In addition, after stimulation with sccaIL-12, there was no difference between interferon gamma mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis and from normal healthy control animals.     

Evaluation of the conjunctival swab for canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis by PCR-hybridization in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Larvae of Oestrus ovis (Diptera: Oestridae) are ubiquitous parasites of nasal and sinusal cavities of sheep and goats. According to the chronobiology of O. ovis infections in Sardinia and the seasonal pattern of the IgG response, the optimal period to investigate the relationships between O. ovis larval populations and intensity of local and systemic IgG antibody responses was mid-July in the summer season. Sarda x Lacaune ewes (n=186), divided into three ram-families were used in the study. Systemic and local IgG responses were measured by ELISA tests using second stage larval crude extracts (L2CE) and L2 (L2SGC) and L3 (L3SGC) salivary gland contents as coating antigens. The number of larval instars, larval length of L1, L2 and L3 larvae, and larval weight of L2 and L3 larvae were individually recorded after ewe necropsy. Negative correlations among larval establishment and/or larval development on the one hand and intensity of local or systemic IgG responses on the other hand were found in two out of three studied ram-families.     

Immunogenicity of an Escherichia coli (serotype O1) pili vaccine in chickens

Immunogenicity of an oil-emulsified Escherichia coli (serotype O1) pili vaccine was evaluated in chickens. Chickens were vaccinated with 116 micrograms or 29 micrograms of pili protein and challenged with the homologous E. coli via the posterior thoracic air sac. Unvaccinated chickens were challenged to serve as positive controls or left unchallenged to serve as negative controls. Vaccinated chickens were protected against challenge because they suffered low or no mortality; had mild gross lesions in air sacs, pericardial sacs, and livers, and the scored values were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) lower than those in the positive controls; and eliminated E. coli from tissues more efficiently than the positive controls.