IFNG and infection: Our results show that the pCI-L5 vaccine induces partial protection against infection, decreases the parasite burden in a footpad lesion and local lymph nodes, induces a higher gene expression of IL-12 and IFN-γ, and induces a lower gene expression of IL-4 in the draining lymph nodes of vaccinated mice in comparison with the control group, which indicate the ability of the designed vaccine to induce a TH1 response that prevents the partial development of a skin lesion of Leishmania.