Maximum concentrations of these cytokines were observed in animals treated with the combination of cisplatin + 78 kDa along with MPL-A. As compared to this group, the mice immunized with cisplatin + 78 kDa showed significantly (P < 0·05) lesser concentration of these cytokines. Least concentration of these cytokines was observed in the animals treated with the immunotherapy alone (Figure 4a,b). The levels of Th2-regulated cytokine, IL-10 and IL-4, were significantly lesser in treated animals as compared to the infected controls. Maximum levels

of this cytokine were observed in the infected controls. Animals treated with cisplatin + 78 kDa + MPL-A showed least concentration SCH 900776 clinical trial selleck kinase inhibitor of IL-10 and IL-4 (Figure 5a,b). As compared to this group, the concentration of the cytokine was significantly (P < 0·05) higher in the animals treated with cisplatin + 78kD followed by cisplatin. It has been well established that the success of any chemotherapy is often dependent on the type of immune response generated by the infected host, and in leishmaniasis, a drug is considered successful if it results in generation of antigen-specific T cells and delayed hypersensitivity. Due to the existence of close association

between chemotherapy and cell-mediated immunity, immunochemotherapy is thought to be more agreeable for treatment for VL. Therefore, in the present study, the therapeutic potential of immunochemotherapy was tested by treating the BALB/c mice with a novel antileishmanial drug cisplatin along with a 78 kDa antigen formulated with an adjuvant (MPL-A). Earlier studies have shown that significant inhibition was observed in golden hamsters infected with L. donovani when treated with a combination of low doses

of both Stibanate and poly ICLC plus l-arginine [16]. Similarly, we tested a low dose of cisplatin (0·5 mg/kg body wt.) and combined it with 78 kDa antigen along with the adjuvant as parasite antigens that preferentially stimulate the induction of significant protection through Th1 response represents a rational approach for vaccines Dimethyl sulfoxide against leishmaniasis. This has been demonstrated in our earlier study carried out by Nagill and Kaur, [6] where experimental infection of mice immunized with 78 kDa antigen along with MPL-A induced significant protection against L. donovani infection. Maximum reduction in parasite load in the present study was observed in animals treated with cisplatin +78 kDa + MPL-A followed by cisplatin + 78 kDa more than any individual therapy. This is in consistence to an earlier study carried out by Tan et al., [24] which showed that both low-dose cisplatin (0·6 mg/kg) and xenogeneic endoglin (10 μg/mouse) resulted in significant tumour growth inhibition.