Production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 by human T cells recognizing Leishmania lipophosphoglycan-associated protein.

The Leishmania protein LPGAP which is co-isolated with lipophosphoglycan is a specific activator of T cells from individuals who have recovered from American leishmaniasis. We have tested the effect of LPGAP on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Kenyan donors cured from L. donovani infections. LPGAP induced vigorous proliferation and production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by the cells. In addition PBMC incubated with LPGAP released interleukin-4 (IL-4) after pulsing with ionomycin and phorbol myristate acetate. Single cells were isolated from LPGAP-stimulated cell lines and expanded as T-cell clones. LPGAP-reactive T-cell clones were activated by crude preparations of both promastigotes and axenic grown amastigote-like parasites. Among 9 CD4+ T-cell clones recognizing LPGAP, cells secreting predominantly IFN-gamma as well as cells secreting predominantly IL-4 were identified. The results show that both IFN-gamma producing (Th1-like) and IL-4 producing (Th2-like) T cells recognizing LPGAP are expanded after infection with L. donovani in humans.