Ribeiro, Patrícia Aparecida FernandesDias, Daniel SilvaNovais, Marcus V. M.Lage, Daniela PagliaraTavares, Grasiele de Sousa VieiraMendonça, Débora Vasconcelos CostaOliveira, Jamil Silvano deChávez Fumagalli, Miguel AngelRoatt, Bruno MendesDuarte, Mariana CostaSouza, Daniel MenezesRibeiro, Fernanda LudolfTavares, Carlos Alberto PereiraOliveira, Mônica Cristina deCoelho, Eduardo Antônio Ferraz2019-04-022019-04-022018RIBEIRO, P. A. F. et al. A Leishmania hypothetical protein-containing liposome-based formulation is highly immunogenic and induces protection against visceral leishmaniasis. Cytokine, v. 111, p. 131-139, nov. 2018. Disponível em: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043466618303557?via%3Dihub>. Acesso em: 22 fev. 2019.10434666http://www.repositorio.ufop.br/handle/123456789/10910Leishmania proteins have been evaluated as vaccine candidates against leishmaniasis; however, most antigens present low immunogenicity and need to be added with immune adjuvants. A low number of licensed adjuvants exist on the market today; therefore, research conducted to produce new products is desirable. The present study sought to evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a recombinant Leishmania hypothetical protein, namely LiHyR, administered with saponin or liposomes in BALB/c mice. Immunological and parasitological parameters were evaluated, and results showed significant protection against Leishmania infantum infection produced by both compositions in the immunized animals; however, this was not identified when the antigen was used alone. In addition, the liposomal formulation was more effective in inducing a polarized Th1 response in the vaccinated animals, which was maintained after challenge and reflected by lower parasitism found in all evaluated organs when the limiting dilution technique and RT-PCR assay were employed. The protected animals showed higher levels of protein and parasite-specific IFN-γ IL-2, IL-12, GM-CSF, and TNF-α, which were evaluated by capture ELISA and flow cytometry, in addition to a higher production of anti-protein and anti-parasite IgG2a antibodies, both before and after challenge. The Lip/rLiHyR combination induced higher IFN-γ production through both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subtypes. Results indicate the possibility of using the LiHyR, containing a liposomal formulation, as a vaccine candidate against visceral leishmaniasis.en-USrestritoAdjuvantsVaccineSaponinArtigo publicado em periodicohttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043466618303557