Abstract:

Background and Aim: There are several reports on immune modulating properties of chitin and chitosan microparticles. To determine the feasibility of using chitinous microparticles as an adjuvant in vaccination against Leishmania, the influence of chitin and chitosan microparticles on interferon-gama (IFN-γ) and interlkine-5 (IL-5) production by Leishmania infected cell suspension were studied.

Materials and Methods: Balb/c mice were intradermally infected with 2 × 10⁵ stationary phase of L. major promastigotes into their base of the tail and two weeks later, leishmania infected lymph nodes cell suspensions of the mice were isolated.  Small sized chitinous micro-particles (<40 micron) were prepared by sonication and passing the filter and after size determination by master sizer, used to cell stimulation. Finally, ELISA measured concentrations of IFN-&gamma; and IL-5 and nitrite oxide levels were measured by Griss method in cell culture supernatants. The ability of cell proliferation induction of microparticles was also evaluated by thymidine uptake method.

Results: Chitin and chitosan microparticles were caused cell proliferation, but no one has been able to stimulate the production of nitrite oxide from the Leishmania infected cell suspension. In stimulation with chitin microparticles, increase the ratio of IFN-&gamma;/IL-5 was observed.

&zwj;Conclusion: Chitin micro-particles are able to stimulate the production of IFN-&gamma; in the Leishmania infected  cell suspension and in the lymph nodes cell suspension can stimulate some cells  to proliferation. Chitin seems to be utilized as an immunoadjuvant in Leishmania vaccine.