partially induced protection by a fraction of leishmania major promastigotes against murine leishmaniasis

partially purified antigenic fractions of leishmania major promastigotes were obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds-page) and electro-elution. three isolated protein fractions designated as frac tions (fr.) 1, 2, and 3 correspond to 40-60, 60-80, 80-100 kilodalton (kda) respectively. they were used for immunization of balb/c mice against leishmaniasis. the effects of these fractions on immune response of balb/c mice against leishmanial infections was investigated by studying the infection course in infected mice, delayed type hypersensitivity (dth) skin test, lymphocyte proliferation assay (ltt) in them. subcutaneous immunization of mice with fraction 2 in conjugation with complete freund's adjuvant (cfa) developed partial immunity against leishmania major infection, and in duced specific dth response. meanwhile this fraction exhibited no exacerbating effect on leishmanial infection course. subcutaneous immunization with fraction 1 also induced partial protection in lesser extent than fraction 2 against leishmanial infection.