author(s)
Somayeh Zarrati, Fatemeh Maleki, Mehdi Mahdavi, Narges Khabaz zadeh Tehrani, Zahra Abrehdari Tafreshi, Amir hooman Asadi, Fatemeh Tabatabaie

abstract
DNA vaccines can generate more powerful and broader immune responses than conventional vaccines. In order to increase immunity, the DNA vaccine has been supplemented with adjuvant. In this study a new nano-vaccine containing TSA recombinant plasmid and poly (methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles (acting as adjuvant) was designed and its immunogenicity tested on BALB/c mouse. After three intramuscular injections of nano-vaccine (100 µg), the recombinant TSA protein (20 µg) was injected subcutaneously. Finally as a challenge animals were infected by Leishmania major. After the last injection of nano-vaccine, after protein booster injection, and also after challenge antibody responses were evaluated by ELISA method. The findings of this study showed the new nano-vaccine was capable of inducing specific antibody responses.