Effects of anti-Leishmania monoclonal antibodies on the development of Leishmania major in Phlebotomus duboscqi (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

East African Medical Journal

Publication Date

2-1-2006

Abstract

Background. Research in our laboratory has previously shown that immune-mediated transmission blocking may be applied to Leishmania infections and that the LPG molecule and anti-LPG monoclonal antibodies was found to be an excellent candidate against L. major infections. Objective: To test the effect of monoclonal antibodies (MABs) raised against different species of Leishmania for their ability to inhibit development of Leishmania major in Phlebotomus duboscqi sand flies. Design: A laboratory based study. Setting: Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi. Results: Sand fly dissections on days two, four and six post-feeding showed that monoclonal antibodies against L. donovani (Ld2cb and Ld3A3) were the most effective at inhibiting L. major development than those raised against L. aethiopica, L. major or L. tropica. Ld2cb inhibited L. major development by 82% in sand flies fed on 1 × 106 amastigotes while Ld3A3 inhibited by 72%; 58% and 74% in those fed on 1 × 105 amastigotes respectively. Monoclonal antibodies against L. aethiopica (Lae 3c6) inhibited L. major development by 28% and 40% for sand flies fed on 1 × 106 and 1 × 105 amastigotes respectively. Anti-L. major monoclonal antibody (Lm5A5) inhibited L. major development by 16% in sand flies fed on 1 ×106 amastigotes and 25% in sand flies fed on 1 × 10 5 amastigotes. Anti- L. tropica antibody (Lt2c8) inhibited L. major development in P. duboscai fed on 1 × 106 by 28 %and 33% in those fed on 1 × 105 amastigotes. Most of the parasites seen in sand flies which fed on L. donovani mABs (Ld2cb and Ld3A3) were nectomonads and a few haptomonads. In all the control groups, parasite development followed the normal developmental stages up to the metacyclic stage. In sand fly groups fed on monoclonal antibodies raised against L. aethiopica, L. major or L. tropica there was limited parasite development inhibition, and the promastigotes developed and migrated forward in a normal pattern as observed in the controls. Conclusions: These results suggests a possible role of humoral mechanisms in protection against leishmaniasis and potentially useful in reducing parasite development in the sand fly.

PubMed ID

16708877

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