Intranasal Vaccination with Leishmanial Antigens Protects Golden Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) Against Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis Infection
Figure 4
Cytokine mRNA expression in skin of hamsters immunised with L. amazonensis antigens (LaAg) and infected with L. braziliensis.
Golden hamsters (6–7 per group) were immunised with IN LaAg (•), IM LaAg (▴) or PBS (□). Two weeks after the last immunisation, hamsters were challenged with L. braziliensis. (A) mRNA gene expression for IFN-γ and IL-10 in skin lesions was determined 114 days post-infection. (B) Correlation between lesion thickness and IFN-γ (r = 0.76, p<0.0001) or IL-10 (r = 0.68, p<0.0001). Each point represents one animal. The horizontal bars represent the median values. Symbols represent the fold change in cytokine expression relative to that of uninfected hamsters. Data shown are from one of two independent experiments.