{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,22]],"date-time":"2026-01-22T01:24:14Z","timestamp":1769045054066,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,22]],"date-time":"2022-12-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1671667200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Vaccination is considered the most appropriate way to control visceral leishmaniasis (VL). With this background, the r-LdODC protein as well as its derived HLA-DRB1-restricted synthetic peptides (P1: RLMPSAHAI, P2: LLDQYQIHL, P3: GLYHSFNCI, P4: AVLEVLSAL, and P5: RLPASPAAL) were validated in BALB\/c mice against visceral leishmaniasis. The study was initiated by immunization of the r-LdODC protein as well as its derived peptides cocktail with adjuvants (r-CD2 and MPL-A) in different mice groups, separately. Splenocytes isolated from the challenged and differentially immunized mice group exhibited significantly higher IFN-\u03b3 secretion, which was evidenced by the increase in the expression profile of intracellular CD4+IFN-\u03b3 T cells. However, the IL-10 secretion did not show a significant increase against the protein and peptide cocktail. Subsequently, the study confirmed the ability of peptides as immunoprophylactic agents, as the IE-I\/AD-I molecule overexpressed on monocytes and macrophages of the challenged mice group. The parasitic load in macrophages of the protein and peptides cocktail immunized mice groups, and T cell proliferation rate, further established immunoprophylactic efficacy of the r-LdODC protein and peptide cocktail. This study suggests that the r-LdODC protein, as well as its derived HLA-DRB1-restricted synthetic peptides, have immunoprophylactic potential and can activate other immune cells\u2019 functions towards protection against visceral leishmaniasis. However, a detailed study in a humanized mice model can explore its potential as a vaccine candidate.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens12010016","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,23]],"date-time":"2022-12-23T02:09:03Z","timestamp":1671761343000},"page":"16","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Validating Immunomodulatory Responses of r-LdODC Protein and Its Derived HLA-DRB1 Restricted Epitopes against Visceral Leishmaniasis in BALB\/c Mice"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2693-2928","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rajkishor","family":"Pandey","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hajipur 844102, India"},{"name":"Division of Immunology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"},{"name":"Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7525-8290","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rohit Kumar","family":"Gautam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hajipur 844102, India"},{"name":"Division of Immunology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3477-2335","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simran","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM), Kundli, Sonipat 131028, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0903-3269","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mebrahtu G.","family":"Tedla","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vijay","family":"Mahantesh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hajipur 844102, India"},{"name":"Division of Immunology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Manas Ranjan","family":"Dikhit","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Informatics, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8782-7390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Akhilesh","family":"Kumar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Immunology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Krishna","family":"Pandey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sanjiva","family":"Bimal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Immunology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna 800007, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.15-0408","article-title":"Social and economic burden of human leishmaniasis","volume":"94","author":"Okwor","year":"2016","journal-title":"Am. 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