Article Text
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a macrophage associated disorder which is linked with a profound decrease in the immunotherapeutic potential of the infected subjects especially children leading to a marked reduction in the CD4 linked Th1 protective immune response. Simultaneously the patients in Bihar are showing unresponsiveness towards SAG which is still a first line of drug in many countries around the world against Visceral Leishmaniasis. In the present part of the study we have tried to evaluate the use of CD2 antibody as an immunotherapeutic agent along with SAG in ensuring treatment of BALB/c mice induced with experimental Visceral leishmaniasis. It has been found in the present set of studies that stimulation of CD2 co receptor along with along with therapeutic dose of SAG has led to the enhancement in the release of IFN-gamma which leads to the release of TNF-alpha and activates the macrophages. An increase in the NO mediated killing further observed by the activated macrophages leading to the reduction in the parasitic load. The results indicate that enhancing the immune potential of a VL patient especially children will help in the better response of Sodium Antimony Gluconate which is the first line of drug against VL in many countries.