FIG. 4.
In vivo effects of anti-TGF-β antibody (Ab) and TGF-β during vaccination via nonprotective s.c. and protective i.p. routes. Mice were vaccinated three times with liposomal LAg with 100 μg of anti-TGF-β or control antibody at 2-week intervals through the s.c. route. Control groups received nothing or anti-TGF-β antibody. Ten days after the last immunization, the mice were challenged intravenously with 2.5 × 107 promastigotes of L. donovani. After 4 months, parasite loads in the liver (A) and spleen (B) were measured and expressed in Leishman Donovan units. Mice were vaccinated three times with liposomal LAg, alone or in combination with 5 μg TGF-β, at 2-week intervals through the i.p. route and infected with L. donovani. After 4 months of challenge infection, parasite loads in the liver (C) and spleen (D) were measured and expressed in Leishman Donovan units. Data represent mean values ± SE for five mice per group. **, P < 0.001 for comparison to control groups.