Studying the Expression of KMP-11 Gene in Promastigotes and Amastigotes of Leishmania Tropica


Abstract in English

Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11), a protein present in all kinetoplastid protozoa studied up to date, is considered a potential vaccine candidate for Leishmaniasis. Such vaccine molecules must be expressed in amastigotes which represent the infective forms for mammals, while promastigotes are the flagellate forms found in the insect hosts. However, the expression of KMP-11 in amastigotes is still a subject of controversy. In this study, a strain of L. tropica was isolated, cultivated, and genotyped. The expression of KMP-11 gene in this strain was evaluated in promastigotes and in amastigotes by RT-PCR using specific primer pairs. The results proved the presence of mRNA of KMP-11 in both promastigotes and amastigotes forms of L. tropica. The expression of this molecule in amastigotes is consistent with the previously demonstrated immunoprotective capacity of KMP-11 DNA vaccine as well as the presence of humoral and cellular immune responses against KMP-11 in Leishmania-infected animals.

References used

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