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Tsakmakidis I, Lefkaditis M, Zaralis K, Arsenos G. Alternative hosts of Leishmania infantum: a neglected parasite in Europe. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024; 56:128. [PMID: 38630347 PMCID: PMC11189345 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-024-03978-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Multi-host pathogens that infect various animal species and humans are considered of great importance for public and animal health. Leishmania spp. parasites are a characteristic example of such pathogens. Although leishmaniosis in humans is endemic for about 100 countries around the world it is classified as a neglected tropical disease. There are three main forms of leishmaniosis in humans: cutaneous (CL), visceral (VL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniosis (MCL). Each year, about 30,000 new cases of VL and more than 1 million new cases of CL are recorded. In Europe L. infantum is the dominant species with dogs being reservoir hosts. Apart from dogs, infection has been recorded in various animals, which suggests that other species could play a role in the maintenance of the parasite in nature. Herein we provide an in-depth review of the literature with respect to studies that deal with Leishmania infantum infections in domestic and wild animal species in Europe. Given the fact that domesticated and wild animals could contribute to the incidences of leishmaniosis in humans, the aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review which could potentially be used for the development of measures when it comes to the control of the Leishmania infantum parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Tsakmakidis
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture, University of Western Macedonia, end of Kontopoulou str, Florina, 53100, Greece
| | | | - Konstantinos Zaralis
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture, University of Western Macedonia, end of Kontopoulou str, Florina, 53100, Greece.
| | - Georgios Arsenos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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De los Santos MB, Loyola S, Perez-Velez ES, Santos RDP, Ramírez IM, Valdivia HO. Sampling is decisive to determination of Leishmania (Viannia) species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012113. [PMID: 38662642 PMCID: PMC11045131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accuracy of molecular tools for the identification of parasites that cause human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) could largely depend on the sampling method. Non-invasive or less-invasive sampling methods such as filter paper imprints and cotton swabs are preferred over punch biopsies and lancet scrapings for detection methods of Leishmania based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) because they are painless, simple, and inexpensive, and of benefit to military and civilian patients to ensure timely treatment. However, different types of samples can generate false negatives and there is a clear need to demonstrate which sample is more proper for molecular assays. METHODOLOGY Here, we compared the sensitivity of molecular identification of different Leishmania (Viannia) species from Peru, using three types of sampling: punch biopsy, filter paper imprint and lancet scraping. Different composite reference standards and latent class models allowed to evaluate the accuracy of the molecular tools. Additionally, a quantitative PCR assessed variations in the results and parasite load in each type of sample. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Different composite reference standards and latent class models determined higher sensitivity when lancet scrapings were used for sampling in the identification and determination of Leishmania (Viannia) species through PCR-based assays. This was consistent for genus identification through kinetoplastid DNA-PCR and for the determination of species using FRET probes-based Nested Real-Time PCR. Lack of species identification in some samples correlated with the low intensity of the PCR electrophoretic band, which reflects the low parasite load in samples. CONCLUSIONS The type of clinical sample can directly influence the detection and identification of Leishmania (Viannia) species. Here, we demonstrated that lancet scraping samples consistently allowed the identification of more leishmaniasis cases compared to filter paper imprints or biopsies. This procedure is inexpensive, painless, and easy to implement at the point of care and avoids the need for anesthesia, surgery, and hospitalization and therefore could be used in resource limited settings for both military and civilian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxy B. De los Santos
- Department of Parasitology, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Lima, Peru
| | - Steev Loyola
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Erika S. Perez-Velez
- Departamento Académico de Medicina Humana, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cusco, Peru
| | | | - Ivonne Melissa Ramírez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Cercado de Lima, Lima, Peru
| | - Hugo O. Valdivia
- Department of Parasitology, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH (NAMRU SOUTH), Bellavista, Lima, Peru
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de Araújo HK, de Oliveira Castro S, da Silva Valejo MJA, da Costa Lima Junior MS, Neitzke-Abreu HC. LIMITATION OF PRIMERS USED IN PCR FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF LEISHMANIA INFANTUM. J Parasitol 2023; 109:445-449. [PMID: 37668295 DOI: 10.1645/21-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional PCR provides Leishmania species characterization with even a small amount of biological material. Species-specific primers have been a widely used alternative; however, nonspecific amplifications are a reality, interfering with PCR efficiency. In endemic areas with multiple etiological agents for leishmaniasis, there is a requirement for higher specificity of primers. This study evaluates 3 pairs of primers described for the identification and characterization of Leishmania infantum. Primers RV1/RV2, LEISH1/LEISH2, and FLC2/RLC2 were used with the DNA of L. infantum, Leishmania amazonensis, and Leishmania braziliensis. An initial temperature curve was performed (52-62 C) to determine the optimal annealing temperature, followed by a dilution curve of Leishmania DNA (500 pg/μl, 50 pg/μl, 5 pg/μl, 500 fg/μl, 50 fg/μl, 5 fg/μl, and 0.5 fg/μl) to be used for analytical sensitivity. RV1/RV2 PCR amplified L. infantum and L. amazonensis at all analyzed temperatures; LEISH1/LEISH2 PCR amplified all 3 species of Leishmania, although at some temperatures L. infantum was specifically amplified, and, finally, FLC2/RLC2 PCR amplified only L. infantum at all temperatures analyzed. In terms of sensitivity, RV1/RV2 PCR detected 1 fg of L. infantum DNA and 100 pg of L. amazonensis DNA; LEISH1/LEISH2 PCR detected 1 fg of L. infantum DNA, 100 fg of L. amazonensis DNA, and 10 fg of L. braziliensis DNA; and FLC2/RLC2 PCR detected 10 fg of L. infantum DNA. Thus, PCR with FLC2/RLC2 primers is best suited for the molecular characterization of L. infantum, especially in areas where there is an incidence of more than 1 Leishmania species, such as South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helton Krisman de Araújo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), 79804-070, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
| | - Silvana de Oliveira Castro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), 79804-070, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
| | - Maria Joelma Alves da Silva Valejo
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), 79804-070, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
| | | | - Herintha Coeto Neitzke-Abreu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), 79804-070, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), 79804-070, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
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Ratzlaff FR, Osmari V, da Silva D, de Paula Vasconcellos JS, Pötter L, Fernandes FD, de Mello Filho JA, de Avila Botton S, Vogel FSF, Sangioni LA. Identification of infection by Leishmania spp. in wild and domestic animals in Brazil: a systematic review with meta-analysis (2001-2021). Parasitol Res 2023; 122:1605-1619. [PMID: 37154922 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07862-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by protozoan species of the genus Leishmania. It generates different clinical manifestations in humans and animals, and it infects multiple hosts. Leishmania parasites are transmitted by sandfly vectors. The main objective of this systematic review was to identify the host, or reservoir animal species, of Leishmania spp., with the exception of domestic dogs, that were recorded in Brazil. This review included identification of diagnostic methods, and the species of protozoan circulating in the country. For this purpose, a literature search was conducted across index journals. This study covered the period from 2001 to 2021, and 124 studies were selected. Eleven orders possible hosts were identified, including 229 mammalian species. Perissodactyla had the highest number of infected individuals (30.69%, 925/3014), with the highest occurrence in horses. In Brazil, the most commonly infected species were found to be: horses, domestic cats, rodents, and marsupials. Bats, that were infected by one or more protozoan species, were identified as potential reservoirs of Leishmania spp. Molecular tests were the most commonly used diagnostic methods (94 studies). Many studies have detected Leishmania spp. (n = 1422): Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (n = 705), Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (n = 319), and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (n = 141). Recognizing the species of animals involved in the epidemiology and biological cycle of the protozoan is important, as this allows for the identification of environmental biomarkers, knowledge of Leishmania species can improve the control zoonotic leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Raquel Ratzlaff
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Osmari
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Daniele da Silva
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Jaíne Soares de Paula Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Luciana Pötter
- Laboratório de Pastos e Suplementos, Departamento de Zootecnia, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Fagner D'ambroso Fernandes
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil.
- Centro Universitário Ritter Dos Reis (UniRitter), Campus FAPA, Av. Manoel Elias, 2001 - Passo das Pedras, Porto Alegre, 91240-261, Brazil.
| | - José Américo de Mello Filho
- Laboratório de Análises Ambientais por Geoprocessamento (LAGEO), Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 44 J, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Sônia de Avila Botton
- Laboratório de Saúde Única (LASUS), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, nº 1000, Prédio 44, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
| | - Luís Antônio Sangioni
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, N°1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105900, Brazil
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Symeonidou I, Sioutas G, Gelasakis AI, Tsokana CN, Papadopoulos E. Leishmaniosis in Greece: The Veterinary Perspective. Pathogens 2023; 12:769. [PMID: 37375459 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniosis caused by the protozoon Leishmania infantum that is transmitted through the bites of infected phlebotomine sandflies is of major veterinary concern in Greece. The country is endemic with particularly favourable environmental conditions for the spread of this infection. Moreover, Greece remains a popular touristic destination, and the continuous travel of pets raises concern regarding the possible dissemination of infection from endemic to non-endemic areas. Dogs are the main reservoir host, although other animal species, including humans, may also be infected. Canine leishmaniosis manifests as a visceral disease that can result in death if left untreated. Serological and molecular epizootiological studies have confirmed circulation of the parasite in Greek canine and feline populations as well as in other mammals. As a result, constant surveillance and identification of high-risk localities are necessary to establish chemoprophylactic protocols for travelling animals to safeguard animal and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaia Symeonidou
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgios Sioutas
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios I Gelasakis
- Laboratory of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Constantina N Tsokana
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Melkie I, Yimer M, Alemu G, Tegegne B. Asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection and associated factors among blood donors attending at Metema district Blood Bank, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross- sectional study. Arch Public Health 2023; 81:62. [PMID: 37085820 PMCID: PMC10120276 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-023-01082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethiopia is one of the top 10 countries in the world where 90% visceral leishmaniasis cases are reported. Metema-Humera lowlands are the most important foci in Ethiopia. Blood transfusion in visceral leishmaniasis endemic foci in Ethiopia does not consider screening of visceral leishmaniasis during blood donation. The aim of this study is therefore, was to assess asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection and associated factors among blood donors attending at Metema district Blood Bank, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS A Health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted at Metema Blood Bank from February to March 2020. A total of 205 blood donors were eligible and participated in this study. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and perceived risk factors associated with asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis among blood donors. Blood donors were screened using both rK39 and direct agglutination tests based on the manufactures' instructions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Chi-square test was used to assess associations of Leishmania donovani infection with predisposing factors. Associations were considered statstically significant on P-value < 0.05 at 95% confidence level. RESULTS Of the total 205 participants, 32(15.6%) were positive for asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection at least by one of the diagnostic tests used. Eight (3.9%) and 30(14.6%) of the participants` were positive by the rK39 and direct agglutination tests, respectively. Six (2.9%) donors were tested positive by both diagnostic tests. Family history of visceral leishmaniasis (X²=11.334, P = 0.003) and having neighbors with history of visceral leishmaniasis (X²=5.923, P = 0.015) were significantly associated with asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection among blood donors. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection was 15.6%. Asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis was significantly associated with donors' family and neighbors' history of infection. Therefore, laboratory screening of blood donors for visceral leishmaniasis in endemic areas will be mandatory. Moreover, this study will give base line information for future study in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyasu Melkie
- Bahir Dar city administration Blood Bank, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
| | - Mulat Yimer
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia.
| | - Getaneh Alemu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
| | - Banchamlak Tegegne
- Medical Parasitology Department, Amhara Public Health Institute, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
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Alizadeh Z, Omidnia P, Altalbawy FMA, Gabr GA, Obaid RF, Rostami N, Aslani S, Heidari A, Mohammadi H. Unraveling the role of natural killer cells in leishmaniasis. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 114:109596. [PMID: 36700775 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
NK cells are known as frontline responders that are efficient in combating several maladies as well as leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania spp. As such they are being investigated to be used for adoptive transfer therapy and vaccine. In spite of the lack of antigen-specific receptors at their surface, NK cells can selectively recognize pathogens, accomplished by the activation of the receptors on the NK cell surface and also as the result of their effector functions. Activation of NK cells can occur through interaction between TLR-2 expressed on NK cells and. LPG of Leishmania parasites. In addition, NK cell activation can occur by cytokines (e.g., IFN-γ and IL-12) that also lead to producing cytokines and chemokines and lysis of target cells. This review summarizes several evidences that support NK cells activation for controlling leishmaniasis and the potentially lucrative roles of NK cells during leishmaniasis. Furthermore, we discuss strategies of Leishmania parasites in inhibiting NK cell functions. Leishmania LPG can utilizes TLR2 to evade host-immune responses. Also, Leishmania GP63 can directly binds to NK cells and modulates NK cell phenotype. Finally, this review analyzes the potentialities to harness NK cells effectiveness in therapy regimens and vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Alizadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Farag M A Altalbawy
- National Institute of Laser Enhanced Sciences (NILES), University of Cairo, Giza 12613, Egypt; Department of Chemistry, University College of Duba, University of Tabuk, Duba 71911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A Gabr
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia; Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Rasha Fadhel Obaid
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Narges Rostami
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeed Aslani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aliehsan Heidari
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
| | - Hamed Mohammadi
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
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Spotin A, Rouhani S, Haghighi A, Parvizi P. Low genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania major in different geographical regions of Iran. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285520. [PMID: 37155684 PMCID: PMC10166485 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
To examine the genetic diversity of Leishmania major, 100 Giemsa-stained positive slides were collected from endemic foci of Iran (Northeast, Central, and Southwest provinces) over two consecutive years during 2019-2021. The Leishmania ITS-rDNA gene was amplified and Leishmania sp. was recognized by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. In addition, 178 registered ITS-rDNA sequences from other geographical regions of Iran were retrieved from GenBank, including different host species (human, sandfly and rodent). A total of 40 new haplotypes were discovered using the ITS-rDNA sequence analysis. IR29 (20.6%) and IR34 (61%) were the two most common haplotypes, represented by a star-like feature in the overall population. Analysis of the molecular variance test revealed low genetic diversity of L. major in human cases (Haplotype diversity; 0.341), rodent (Hd; 0.387) and sandfly (Hd; 0.390) sequences. The lowest genetic diversity of L. major was observed in Southwest/Southeast Iran (Hd: 0.104-0.286). The statistically Fst value indicated that L. major is not genetically differentiated between geographic regions of Iran, except for the Northeast-Southwest (Fst: 0.29055) and Central-Southwest (Fst: 0.30294) population pairs. The current study as the first investigation discloses new perspectives for further evaluation in the identification local transmission paradigms and initiating effective prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adel Spotin
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Soheila Rouhani
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Haghighi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Parvizi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Lye LF, Owens KL, Jang S, Marcus JE, Brettmann EA, Beverley SM. An RNA Interference (RNAi) Toolkit and Its Utility for Functional Genetic Analysis of Leishmania ( Viannia). Genes (Basel) 2022; 14:93. [PMID: 36672832 PMCID: PMC9858808 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool whose efficacy against a broad range of targets enables functional genetic tests individually or systematically. However, the RNAi pathway has been lost in evolution by a variety of eukaryotes including most Leishmania sp. RNAi was retained in species of the Leishmania subgenus Viannia, and here we describe the development, optimization, and application of RNAi tools to the study of L. (Viannia) braziliensis (Lbr). We developed vectors facilitating generation of long-hairpin or "stem-loop" (StL) RNAi knockdown constructs, using GatewayTM site-specific recombinase technology. A survey of applications of RNAi in L. braziliensis included genes interspersed within multigene tandem arrays such as quinonoid dihydropteridine reductase (QDPR), a potential target or modulator of antifolate sensitivity. Other tests include genes involved in cell differentiation and amastigote proliferation (A600), and essential genes of the intraflagellar transport (IFT) pathway. We tested a range of stem lengths targeting the L. braziliensis hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and reporter firefly luciferase (LUC) genes and found that the efficacy of RNAi increased with stem length, and fell off greatly below about 128 nt. We used the StL length dependency to establish a useful 'hypomorphic' approach not possible with other gene ablation strategies, with shorter IFT140 stems yielding viable cells with compromised flagellar morphology. We showed that co-selection for RNAi against adenine phosphoryl transferase (APRT1) using 4-aminopyrazolpyrimidine (APP) could increase the efficacy of RNAi against reporter constructs, a finding that may facilitate improvements in future work. Thus, for many genes, RNAi provides a useful tool for studying Leishmania gene function with some unique advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Stephen M. Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Gow I, Smith NC, Stark D, Ellis J. Laboratory diagnostics for human Leishmania infections: a polymerase chain reaction-focussed review of detection and identification methods. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:412. [PMID: 36335408 PMCID: PMC9636697 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05524-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infections span a range of clinical syndromes and impact humans from many geographic foci, but primarily the world's poorest regions. Transmitted by the bite of a female sand fly, Leishmania infections are increasing with human movement (due to international travel and war) as well as with shifts in vector habitat (due to climate change). Accurate diagnosis of the 20 or so species of Leishmania that infect humans can lead to the successful treatment of infections and, importantly, their prevention through modelling and intervention programs. A multitude of laboratory techniques for the detection of Leishmania have been developed over the past few decades, and although many have drawbacks, several of them show promise, particularly molecular methods like polymerase chain reaction. This review provides an overview of the methods available to diagnostic laboratories, from traditional techniques to the now-preferred molecular techniques, with an emphasis on polymerase chain reaction-based detection and typing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ineka Gow
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Nicholas C. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Damien Stark
- Department of Microbiology, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - John Ellis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
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11
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Yilmaz IC, Dunuroglu E, Ayanoglu IC, Ipekoglu EM, Yildirim M, Girginkardesler N, Ozbel Y, Toz S, Ozbilgin A, Aykut G, Gursel I, Gursel M. Leishmania kinetoplast DNA contributes to parasite burden in infected macrophages: Critical role of the cGAS-STING-TBK1 signaling pathway in macrophage parasitemia. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1007070. [PMID: 36405710 PMCID: PMC9667060 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites harbor a unique network of circular DNA known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). The role of kDNA in leishmania infections is poorly understood. Herein, we show that kDNA delivery to the cytosol of Leishmania major infected THP-1 macrophages provoked increased parasite loads when compared to untreated cells, hinting at the involvement of cytosolic DNA sensors in facilitating parasite evasion from the immune system. Parasite proliferation was significantly hindered in cGAS- STING- and TBK-1 knockout THP-1 macrophages when compared to wild type cells. Nanostring nCounter gene expression analysis on L. major infected wild type versus knockout cells revealed that some of the most upregulated genes including, Granulysin (GNLY), Chitotriosidase-1 (CHIT1), Sialomucin core protein 24 (CD164), SLAM Family Member 7 (SLAMF7), insulin-like growth factor receptor 2 (IGF2R) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) were identical in infected cGAS and TBK1 knockout cells, implying their involvement in parasite control. Amlexanox treatment (a TBK1 inhibitor) of L. major infected wild type cells inhibited both the percentage and the parasite load of infected THP-1 cells and delayed footpad swelling in parasite infected mice. Collectively, these results suggest that leishmania parasites might hijack the cGAS-STING-TBK1 signaling pathway to their own advantage and the TBK1 inhibitor amlexanox could be of interest as a candidate drug in treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Cem Yilmaz
- Basic and Translational Research Program, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emre Dunuroglu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ihsan Cihan Ayanoglu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emre Mert Ipekoglu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Muzaffer Yildirim
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nogay Girginkardesler
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Ozbel
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Seray Toz
- Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Ozbilgin
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Gamze Aykut
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ihsan Gursel
- Basic and Translational Research Program, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mayda Gursel
- Basic and Translational Research Program, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- *Correspondence: Mayda Gursel,
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12
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Llanes A, Cruz G, Morán M, Vega C, Pineda VJ, Ríos M, Penagos H, Suárez JA, Saldaña A, Lleonart R, Restrepo CM. Genomic diversity and genetic variation of Leishmania panamensis within its endemic range. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 103:105342. [PMID: 35878820 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Species belonging to the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus are important causative agents of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Central and South America. These parasites possess several distinctive biological features that are influenced by their genetics, population structure, and genome instability. To date, several studies have revealed varying degrees of genetic diversity within Leishmania species. Particularly, in species of the L. (Viannia) subgenus, a generalized high intraspecific genetic diversity has been reported, although, conflicting conclusions have been drawn using different molecular techniques. Despite being the most common Leishmania species circulating in Panama and Colombia, few studies have analyzed clinical samples of Leishmania panamensis using whole-genome sequencing, and their restricted number of samples has limited the information they can provide to understand the population structure of L. panamensis. Here, we used next generation sequencing (NGS) to explore the genetic diversity of L. panamensis within its endemic range, analyzing data from 43 isolates of Colombian and Panamanian origin. Our results show the occurrence of three well-defined geographically correlated groups, and suggests the possible occurrence of additional phylogeographic groups. Furthermore, these results support the existence of a mixed mode of reproduction in L. panamensis, with varying frequencies of events of genetic recombination occurring primarily within subpopulations of closely related strains. This study offers important insights into the population genetics and reproduction mode of L. panamensis, paving the way to better understand their population structure and the emergence and maintenance of key eco-epidemiological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Llanes
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Génesis Cruz
- Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Mitchelle Morán
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Carlos Vega
- Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Vanessa J Pineda
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Margarita Ríos
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Homero Penagos
- Hospital Regional Dr. Rafael Hernández, Caja de Seguro Social, David, Chiriquí, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - José A Suárez
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Azael Saldaña
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Ricardo Lleonart
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama.
| | - Carlos M Restrepo
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama.
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13
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Eight-Year Trend Analysis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Cases in West Amhara Region Referred to Amhara Public Health Institute Northwest, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:6562092. [PMID: 36046459 PMCID: PMC9423996 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6562092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a continually spreading health problem in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Despite this, up- to-date information on referral laboratory facility has been not yet reported. Therefore, this study was aimed at reporting up-to-date information about eight year’s cutaneous leishmaniasis trend status. Data on referred cases from 2013 to 2020 were collected at Amhara Public Health Institute Parasitology department by reviewing log book. Of the 243 suspected cases, 114 (46.9%) were positive (confirmed) with microscope and cultured results showed that most of them were negatives. Most of the suspected cases were from 16 to 30 years and males by age and sex, respectively. Trend status by year depicted that largest numbers of suspected and confirmed cases were reported in 2013, 2015, and 2019 years. Finally, the trend status by zone showed that most cases were reported from South Gondar and Awi zones, respectively.
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14
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Valdivia HO, Roatt BM, Baptista RDP, Ottino J, Coqueiro-dos-Santos A, Sanders MJ, Reis AB, Cotton JA, Bartholomeu DC. Replacement of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum Populations in an Endemic Focus of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Brazil. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900084. [PMID: 35811682 PMCID: PMC9263273 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is an important global health problem with an estimated of 50,000 to 90,000 new cases per year. VL is the most serious form of leishmaniasis as it can be fatal in 95% of the cases if it remains untreated. VL is a particularly acute problem in Brazil which contributed with 97% of all cases reported in 2020 in the Americas. In this country, VL affects mainly the poorest people in both urban and rural areas and continues to have a high mortality rate estimated around 8.15%. Here, we performed a temporal parasite population study using whole genome sequence data from a set of 34 canine isolates sampled in 2008, 2012 and 2015 from a re-emergent focus in Southeastern Brazil. Our study found the presence of two distinct sexual subpopulations that corresponded to two isolation periods. These subpopulations diverged hundreds of years ago with no apparent gene flow between them suggesting a process of rapid replacement during a two-year period. Sequence comparisons and analysis of nucleotide diversity also showed evidence of balancing selection acting on transport-related genes and antigenic families. To our knowledge this is the first population genomic study showing a turn-over of parasite populations in an endemic region for leishmaniasis. The complexity and rapid adaptability of these parasites pose new challenges to control activities and demand more integrated approaches to understand this disease in New World foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo O. Valdivia
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit Six, Department of Parasitology, Lima, Peru
| | - Bruno M. Roatt
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo de Paula Baptista
- CTEGD- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and IOB - Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, United States
| | - Jennifer Ottino
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Anderson Coqueiro-dos-Santos
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre B. Reis
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - James A. Cotton
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Daniella C. Bartholomeu
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Daniella C. Bartholomeu,
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15
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Updates on Prevalence and Trend Status of Visceral Leishmaniasis at Two Health Facilities in Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. Biochem Res Int 2022; 2022:3603892. [PMID: 35465445 PMCID: PMC9033402 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3603892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethiopia is one of the countries accounted for over 90% of annual visceral leishmaniasis incidence. Despite this, yet there are no active and passive surveillance activities in the Amhara Region that will give up-to-date information about the disease status at the health facility levels. Therefore, this study aimed to report up-to-date information about visceral leishmaniasis and its trend status at two health facilities and the surrounding areas. A retrospective study from October 2017 to May 2021 was conducted by reviewing patient records at Metema and Addis Zemen Hospitals. Data on Sex, age, occupation, residence, month, year, and rK39 test results were collected using a questionnaire and were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The chi-square test was used to see the association between variables. p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Of the 2,703 visceral leishmaniasis suspected cases diagnosed with the rK39 test, 877 (32.4%) were confirmed (positive) cases. Monthly and yearly trends depicted that the largest number of suspected cases was reported in October and 2018, respectively. Daily laborers were the most affected individuals in Metema areas.
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16
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Gallo-Francisco PH, Brocchi M, Giorgio S. Leishmania and its relationships with bacteria. Future Microbiol 2022; 17:199-218. [PMID: 35040703 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2021-0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic and neglected disease, which represents an important public health problem worldwide. Different species of Leishmania are associated with different manifestations, and a practical problem that can worsen the condition of hosts infected with Leishmania is the secondary infection caused by bacteria. This review aims to examine the importance and prevalence of bacteria co-infection during leishmaniasis and the nature of this ecological relationship. In the cases discussed in this review, the facilitation phenomenon, defined as any interaction where the action of one organism has a beneficial effect on an organism of another species, was considered in the Leishmania-bacteria interaction, as well as the effects on one another and their consequences for the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro H Gallo-Francisco
- Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas, Campinas SP, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Brocchi
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology & Immunology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas, Campinas SP, Brazil
| | - Selma Giorgio
- Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas, Campinas SP, 13083-862, Brazil
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17
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Kocher A, Cornuault J, Gantier JC, Manzi S, Chavy A, Girod R, Dusfour I, Forget PM, Ginouves M, Prévot G, Guégan JF, Bañuls AL, de Thoisy B, Murienne J. Biodiversity and vector-borne diseases: host dilution and vector amplification occur simultaneously for Amazonian leishmaniases. Mol Ecol 2022; 32:1817-1831. [PMID: 35000240 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Changes in biodiversity may impact infectious disease transmission through multiple mechanisms. We explored the impact of biodiversity changes on the transmission of Amazonian leishmaniases, a group of wild zoonoses transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies (Psychodidae), which represent an important health burden in a region where biodiversity is both rich and threatened. Using molecular analyses of sand fly pools and blood-fed dipterans, we characterized the disease system in forest sites in French Guiana undergoing different levels of human-induced disturbance. We show that the prevalence of Leishmania parasites in sand flies correlates positively with the relative abundance of mammal species known as Leishmania reservoirs. In addition, Leishmania reservoirs tend to dominate in less diverse mammal communities, in accordance with the dilution effect hypothesis. This results in a negative relationship between Leishmania prevalence and mammal diversity. On the other hand, higher mammal diversity is associated with higher sand fly density, possibly because more diverse mammal communities harbor higher biomass and more abundant feeding resources for sand flies, although more research is needed to identify the factors that shape sand fly communities. As a consequence of these antagonistic effects, decreased mammal diversity comes with an increase of parasite prevalence in sand flies, but has no detectable impact on the density of infected sand flies. These results represent additional evidence that biodiversity changes may simultaneously dilute and amplify vector-borne disease transmission through different mechanisms that need to be better understood before drawing generalities on the biodiversity-disease relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Kocher
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique (UMR5174 EDB) - CNRS, IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Toulouse, France.,MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, France.,Transmission, Infection, Diversification & Evolution Group, Max-Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Josselin Cornuault
- Real Jardín Botánico CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014, Madrid, Spain.,ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Charles Gantier
- Laboratoire des Identifications Fongiques et Entomo-parasitologiques, Mennecy, France
| | - Sophie Manzi
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique (UMR5174 EDB) - CNRS, IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Toulouse, France
| | - Agathe Chavy
- Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, France.,TBIP, Université de Guyane, 97300, Cayenne, France
| | | | | | - Pierre-Michel Forget
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7179 MECADEV (Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution), MNHN-CNRS, Brunoy, France
| | - Marine Ginouves
- TBIP, Université de Guyane, 97300, Cayenne, France.,Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017-CIIL Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Ghislaine Prévot
- TBIP, Université de Guyane, 97300, Cayenne, France.,Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017-CIIL Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Jean-François Guégan
- MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,INRAE, Cirad, Université de Montpellier, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Benoit de Thoisy
- Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, France.,Association Kwata, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Jérôme Murienne
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique (UMR5174 EDB) - CNRS, IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier - Toulouse, France
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18
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Taxonomy, Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Iranian Leishmania Strains of Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmaniasis. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:1274-1284. [PMID: 33942225 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00377-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the broad distribution of leishmaniasis in Iran, there is a little genetic information about the causative agents and epidemiological status of the disease. Genetic diversity of the parasite is suggested to be one of the factors, which influences the clinical manifestations of the disease. In this study, we investigated the genetic variations, population structure, and evolutionary history of Leishmania species from endemic foci of Iran. METHODS Fifty-two isolates from humans, canines, and rodents from different endemic foci of Iran were used to sequence the N-acetyl glucosamine-1-phosphate transferase (Nagt) gene. Phylogenetic and structure analyses were performed to investigate inter- and intra-species diversity of the Leishmania isolates. RESULTS In total, 10 haplotypes including L. major (n = 6), L. tropica (n = 2), L. infantum (n = 1) and L. turanica (n = 1) were identified across 52 isolates. Haplotype diversity (Hd) ranged from zero for L. infantum and L. turanica to 0.78 ± 0.136 for L. major. This study identified population structure of Leishmania isolates from different geographical regions of Iran. The results of the phylogenetic tree showed 4 distinct clades for each species of Leishmania. In addition, the highest intraspecies diversity was observed among L. major isolates. No correlation was observed between species and geographic distribution of haplotypes. CONCLUSIONS Leishmania isolates were identified at the species level using the Nagt gene, low variation within species indicates conservation of this gene in Leishmania. The results provide knowledge into the evolutionary history of Iranian Leishmania isolates.
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Alsaad R, Hameed M. The First Record of Zoonotic Genes of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis among Human, Dogs, and Sandflies by Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction and Phylogenetic Analyses. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.6639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the zoonotic diseases that is caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. The study aimed to diagnosed CL in human, dogs, and sandflies by PCR, and identification the zoonotic gene of CL by the nested PCR technique. A total of 100 patients with CL, 237 of owned-dogs, and 147 females sandflies collected. (88%) of humans samples, (95.77% skin biopsies and 20.69% of blood samples) of dogs, and (40.58%) of sandflies tissues were positive for L. major, while L. tropica infection was positive in (12%) of humans, in (4.23% symptomatic, and 6.89% asymptomatic) of dogs, and in (27.54%) of sandflies samples. The sequence ID of the local L. major in human were registered in NCBI as (MW421598.1, MW421599.1, MW421600.1), in dogs (MW421601.1, MW421602.1, MW421603.1), and sandflies (MW421604.1, MW421605.1, MW421606.1). While L. tropica in human were registered in NCBI as (MW421604.1, MW421605.1, MW421606.1), in dogs (MW421428.1, MW421429.1), and in sandflies (MW421430.1, MW421431.1). To our knowledge, this is the first study that contributes to the diagnosis of CL spp. in three different hosts (human, dogs, and sandflies) at the same time, particularly in Iraq and in Middle East countries.
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Medina J, Cruz-Saavedra L, Patiño LH, Muñoz M, Ramírez JD. Comparative analysis of the transcriptional responses of five Leishmania species to trivalent antimony. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:419. [PMID: 34419127 PMCID: PMC8380399 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04915-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by several species of Leishmania. The resistance phenotype of these parasites depends on the characteristics of each species, which contributes to increased therapeutic failures. Understanding the mechanism used by the parasite to survive under treatment pressure in order to identify potential common and specific therapeutic targets is essential for the control of leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profiles and potential shared and specific resistance markers of the main Leishmania species of medical importance [subgenus L. (Leishmania): L. donovani, L. infantum and L. amazonensis; subgenus L. (Viannia): L. panamensis and L. braziliensis)] resistant and sensitive to trivalent stibogluconate (SbIII). METHODS We conducted comparative analysis of the transcriptomic profiles (only coding sequences) of lines with experimentally induced resistance to SbIII from biological replicates of five Leishmania species available in the databases of four articles based on ortholog attribution. Simultaneously, we carried out functional analysis of ontology and reconstruction of metabolic pathways of the resulting differentially expressed genes (DEGs). RESULTS Resistant lines for each species had differential responses in metabolic processes, compound binding, and membrane components concerning their sensitive counterpart. One hundred and thirty-nine metabolic pathways were found, with the three main pathways comprising cysteine and methionine metabolism, glycolysis, and the ribosome. Differentially expressed orthologous genes assigned to species-specific responses predominated, with 899 self-genes. No differentially expressed genes were found in common among the five species. Two common upregulated orthologous genes were found among four species (L. donovani, L. braziliensis, L. amazonensis, and L. panamensis) related to an RNA-binding protein and the NAD(P)H cytochrome-B5-oxidoreductase complex, associated with transcriptional control and de novo synthesis of linoleic acid, critical mechanisms in resistance to antimonials. CONCLUSION Herein, we identified potential species-specific genes related to resistance to SbIII. Therefore, we suggest that future studies consider a treatment scheme that is species-specific. Despite the limitations of our study, this is the first approach toward unraveling the pan-genus genetic mechanisms of resistance in leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Medina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología- UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lissa Cruz-Saavedra
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología- UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luz Helena Patiño
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología- UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología- UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología- UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Meireles PW, de Souza DPB, Rezende MG, Borsodi MPG, de Oliveira DE, da Silva LCRP, de Souza AMT, Viana GM, Rodrigues CR, do Carmo FA, de Sousa VP, Rossi-Bergmann B, Cabral LM. Nanoparticles Loaded with a New Thiourea Derivative: Development and In vitro Evaluation Against Leishmania amazonensis. Curr Drug Deliv 2021; 17:694-702. [PMID: 32621717 DOI: 10.2174/1567201817666200704132348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Current treatments are restricted to a small number of drugs that display both severe side effects and a potential for parasites to develop resistance. A new N-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-N'- (2-phenethyl) thiourea compound (thiourea 1) has shown promising in vitro activity against Leishmania amazonensis with an IC50 of 54.14 μM for promastigotes and an IC50 of 70 μM for amastigotes. OBJECTIVE To develop a formulation of thiourea 1 as an oral treatment for leishmaniasis, it was incorporated into Nanoparticles (NPs), a proven approach to provide long-acting drug delivery systems. METHODS Poly (D,L-Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) (PLGA) polymeric NPs containing thiourea 1 were obtained through a nanoprecipitation methodology associated with solvent evaporation. The NPs containing thiourea 1 were characterized for Encapsulation Efficiency (EE%), reaction yield (% w/w), surface charge, particle size and morphology by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). RESULTS NPs with thiourea 1 showed an improved in vitro leishmanicidal activity with a reduction in its cytotoxicity against macrophages (CC50>100 μg/mL) while preserving its IC50 against intracellular amastigotes (1.46 ± 0.09 μg/mL). This represents a parasite Selectivity Index (SI) of 68.49, which is a marked advancement from the reference drug pentamidine (SI = 30.14). CONCLUSION The results suggest that the incorporation into NPs potentiated the therapeutic effect of thiourea 1, most likely by improving the selective delivery of the drug to the phagocytic cells that are targeted for infection by L. amazonensis. This work reinforces the importance of nanotechnology in the acquisition of new therapeutic alternatives for oral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Wetler Meireles
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Dandara Paiva Barroso de Souza
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marianne Grilo Rezende
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Gil Mendes Viana
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Rangel Rodrigues
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia Almada do Carmo
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Valeria Pereira de Sousa
- Department of Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bartira Rossi-Bergmann
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucio Mendes Cabral
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Bel Hadj Ali I, Chouaieb H, Saadi Ben Aoun Y, Harigua-Souiai E, Souguir H, Yaacoub A, El Dbouni O, Harrat Z, Mukhtar MM, Ben Said M, Haddad N, Fathallah-Mili A, Guizani I. Dipeptidyl peptidase III as a DNA marker to investigate epidemiology and taxonomy of Old World Leishmania species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009530. [PMID: 34310607 PMCID: PMC8341715 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPPIII) member of M49 peptidase family is a zinc-dependent metallopeptidase that cleaves dipeptides sequentially from the N-terminus of its substrates. In Leishmania, DPPIII, was reported with other peptidases to play a significant role in parasites' growth and survival. In a previous study, we used a coding sequence annotated as DPPIII to develop and evaluate a PCR assay that is specific to dermotropic Old World (OW) Leishmania species. Thus, our objective was to further assess use of this gene for Leishmania species identification and for phylogeny, and thus for diagnostic and molecular epidemiology studies of Old World Leishmania species. METHODOLOGY Orthologous DDPIII genes were searched in all Leishmania genomes and aligned to design PCR primers and identify relevant restriction enzymes. A PCR assays was developed and seventy-two Leishmania fragment sequences were analyzed using MEGA X genetics software to infer evolution and phylogenetic relationships of studied species and strains. A PCR-RFLP scheme was also designed and tested on 58 OW Leishmania strains belonging to 8 Leishmania species and evaluated on 75 human clinical skin samples. FINDINGS Sequence analysis showed 478 variable sites (302 being parsimony informative). Test of natural selection (dN-dS) (-0.164, SE = 0.013) inferred a negative selection, characteristic of essential genes, corroborating the DPPIII importance for parasite survival. Inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity was used to develop universal amplification of a 662bp fragment. Sequence analyses and phylogenies confirmed occurrence of 6 clusters congruent to L. major, L. tropica, L. aethiopica, L. arabica, L. turanica, L. tarentolae species, and one to the L. infantum and L. donovani species complex. A PCR-RFLP algorithm for Leishmania species identification was designed using double digestions with HaeIII and KpnI and with SacI and PvuII endonucleases. Overall, this PCR-RFLP yielded distinct profiles for each of the species L. major, L. tropica, L. aethiopica, L. arabica and L. turanica and the L. (Sauroleishmania) L. tarentolae. The species L. donovani, and L. infantum shared the same profile except for strains of Indian origin. When tested on clinical samples, the DPPIII PCR showed sensitivities of 82.22% when compared to direct examination and was able to identify 84.78% of the positive samples. CONCLUSION The study demonstrates that DPPIII gene is suitable to detect and identify Leishmania species and to complement other molecular methods for leishmaniases diagnosis and epidemiology. Thus, it can contribute to evidence-based disease control and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insaf Bel Hadj Ali
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Hamed Chouaieb
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Yusr Saadi Ben Aoun
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Emna Harigua-Souiai
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Hejer Souguir
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Alia Yaacoub
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Oussaïma El Dbouni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Rafik Hariri Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratoire d’Eco-épidémiologie Parasitaire et Génétique des Populations, Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Algiers, Algeria
| | | | - Moncef Ben Said
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Nabil Haddad
- Laboratory of Immunology and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Public Health Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | - Akila Fathallah-Mili
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Ikram Guizani
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
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Sharma L, Dhiman M, Singh A, Sharma MM. Green Approach: ''A Forwarding Step for Curing Leishmaniasis-A Neglected Tropical Disease''. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:655584. [PMID: 34124148 PMCID: PMC8193676 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.655584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The present review focuses on a dreaded vector-mediated leishmaniasis, with the existing therapeutic approaches including a variety of drugs along with their limitations, the treatment with natural compounds, and different types of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). As evidenced, various metallic NPs, comprising silver, silver oxide, gold, zinc oxide, titanium, lead oxide, etc., played a curative role to treat leishmaniasis, are also presented. Keeping in view the advance success of vaccines against the prevalent dreaded diseases in the past and the present scenario, efforts are also being made to develop vaccines based on these NP formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshika Sharma
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, India
| | - Mamta Dhiman
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, India
| | - Abhijeet Singh
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, India
| | - M M Sharma
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, India
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17-AAG-Induced Activation of the Autophagic Pathway in Leishmania Is Associated with Parasite Death. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051089. [PMID: 34069389 PMCID: PMC8158731 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is thought to be an excellent drug target against parasitic diseases. The leishmanicidal effect of an Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), was previously demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo models of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Parasite death was shown to occur in association with severe ultrastructural alterations in Leishmania, suggestive of autophagic activation. We hypothesized that 17-AAG treatment results in the abnormal activation of the autophagic pathway, leading to parasite death. To elucidate this process, experiments were performed using transgenic parasites with GFP-ATG8-labelled autophagosomes. Mutant parasites treated with 17-AAG exhibited autophagosomes that did not entrap cargo, such as glycosomes, or fuse with lysosomes. ATG5-knockout (Δatg5) parasites, which are incapable of forming autophagosomes, demonstrated lower sensitivity to 17-AAG-induced cell death when compared to wild-type (WT) Leishmania, further supporting the role of autophagy in 17-AAG-induced cell death. In addition, Hsp90 inhibition resulted in greater accumulation of ubiquitylated proteins in both WT- and Δatg5-treated parasites compared to controls, in the absence of proteasome overload. In conjunction with previously described ultrastructural alterations, herein we present evidence that treatment with 17-AAG causes abnormal activation of the autophagic pathway, resulting in the formation of immature autophagosomes and, consequently, incidental parasite death.
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Atapour A, Ghalamfarsa F, Naderi S, Hatam G. Designing of a Novel Fusion Protein Vaccine Candidate Against Human Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) Using Immunoinformatics and Structural Approaches. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021; 27:1885-1898. [PMID: 33935610 PMCID: PMC8067785 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10218-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. The clinical forms of leishmaniasis differ from cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) which depend on the parasite species and the host's immune responses. There are significant challenges to the available anti-leishmanial drug therapy, particularly in severe forms of disease, and the rise of drug resistance has made it more difficult. Currently, no licensed vaccines have been introduced to the market for the control and elimination of VL. A potential target for use in candidate vaccines against leishmaniasis has been shown to be leishmania Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) antigen. In this study, we chose KMP-11 antigen as target antigen in our vaccine construct. In addition, B-type flagellin (fliC) was used as an adjuvant for enhancing vaccine immunogenicity. The GSGSGSGSGSG linker was applied to link the KMP-11 antigen and fliC (KMP-11-fliC) to construct our fusion protein. Bioinformatics approaches such as; 3D homology modeling, CTL, B-cell, MHC class I and II epitopes prediction, allergenicity, antigenicity evaluations, molecular docking, fast simulations of flexibility of docked complex and in silico cloning were employed to analysis and evaluation of various properties of the designed fusion construct. Computational results showed that our engineered structure has the potential for proper stimulation of cellular and humoral immune responses against VL. Consequently, it could be proposed as a candidate vaccine against VL according to these data and after verifying the efficacy of the candidate vaccine through in vivo and in vitro immunological tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Atapour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, 71348-14336 Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farideh Ghalamfarsa
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Samaneh Naderi
- Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Hatam
- Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Leishmaniasis: where are we and where are we heading? Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1541-1554. [PMID: 33825036 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07139-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease in humans caused by the bite of a parasite-infected sandfly. The disease, widely referred to as "poor man's disease," affects millions of people worldwide. The clinical manifestation of the disease depends upon the species of the parasite and ranges from physical disfigurement to death if left untreated. Here, we review the past, present, and future of leishmaniasis in detail. The life cycle of Leishmania sp., along with its epidemiology, is discussed, and in addition, the line of therapeutics available for treatment currently is examined. The current status of the disease is critically evaluated, keeping emerging threats like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection and post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) into consideration. In summary, the review proposes a dire need for new therapeutics and reassessment of the measures and policies concerning emerging threats. New strategies are essential to achieve the goal of leishmaniasis eradication in the next few decades.
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Grünebast J, Clos J. Leishmania: Responding to environmental signals and challenges without regulated transcription. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:4016-4023. [PMID: 33363698 PMCID: PMC7744640 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we describe the non-canonical control of gene expression in Leishmania, a single-cell parasite that is responsible for one of the major neglected tropical diseases. We discuss the lack of regulated RNA synthesis, the post-transcriptional gene regulation including RNA stability and regulated translation. We also show that genetic adaptations such as mosaic aneuploidy, gene copy number variations and DNA sequence polymorphisms are important means for overcoming drug challenge and environmental diversity. These mechanisms are discussed in the context of the unique flow of genetic information found in Leishmania and related protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janne Grünebast
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Clos
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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Assessing the composition of the plasma membrane of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and L. (L.) amazonensis using label-free proteomics. Exp Parasitol 2020; 218:107964. [PMID: 32822697 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania are causative agents of leishmaniasis, a wide range of diseases affecting 12 million people worldwide. The species L. infantum and L. amazonensis are etiologic agents of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively. Most proteome analyses of Leishmania have been carried out on whole-cell extracts, but such an approach tends to underrepresent membrane-associated proteins due to their high hydrophobicity and low solubility. Considering the relevance of this category of proteins in virulence, invasiveness and the host-parasite interface, this study applied label-free proteomics to assess the plasma membrane sub-proteome of L. infantum and L. amazonensis. The number of proteins identified in L. infantum and L. amazonensis promastigotes was 1168 and 1455, respectively. After rigorous data processing and mining, 157 proteins were classified as putative plasma membrane-associated proteins, of which 56 proteins were detected in both species, six proteins were detected only in L. infantum and 39 proteins were exclusive to L. amazonensis. The quantitative analysis revealed that two proteins were more abundant in L. infantum, including the glucose transporter 2, and five proteins were more abundant in L. amazonensis. The identified proteins associated with distinct processes and functions. In this regard, proteins of L. infantum were linked to metabolic processes whereas L. amazonensis proteins were involved in signal transduction. Moreover, transmembrane transport was a significant process among the group of proteins detected in both species and members of the superfamily of ABC transporters were highly represented. Interestingly, some proteins of this family were solely detected in L. amazonensis, such as ABCA9. GP63, a well-known virulence factor, was the only GPI-anchored protein identified in the membrane preparations of both species. Finally, we found several proteins with uncharacterized functions, including differentially abundant ones, highlighting a gap in the study of Leishmania proteins. Proteins characterization could provide a better biological understanding of these parasites and deliver new possibilities regarding the discovery of therapeutic targets, drug resistance and vaccine candidates.
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Salah I, Abbasi I, Warburg A, Davidovitch N, Kotler B. The spatial and temporal distribution, species composition, and host preference of phlebotomine sand flies in the Bethlehem District of Palestine. Acta Trop 2020; 203:105327. [PMID: 31899169 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the Palestinian West Bank, leishmaniasis is emerging as a serious public health issue with incidence increasing over time, especially in the western and the northern parts. This study was aimed to evaluating the effect of altitude on sand fly density, temporal and spatial distribution, species composition, and host preference within and between three villages in the Bethlehem District. The three villages occur along an elevation cline, ranging from the disease-free area of Kisan (KIS; 732-782 m ASL), down to the endemic areas of Arab Ar-Rashaiyda (AAR; 522-568 m ASL), and Al'Azazma (AZA; 473-510 m ASL) in the Bethlehem District (southeastern West Bank). Sand flies were trapped monthly from May through October in 2013 in traps located north, south, east, and west of each village. The abundance of sand flies differed among the three villages, with Arab Ar-Rashaiyda (AAR) > Al 'Azazma (AZA) >Kisan (KIS). The sex ratio was even in AAR and AZA, and female biased in KIS. Both male and female Phlebotomus sand fly densities varied with elevation, with greatest densities found at intermediate elevations (AAR). Elevation correlated negatively with the proportion of blood-fed Phlebotomus females. Male Phlebotomus species composition differed among sites, with all the species found in this study present in AZA, while some species were absent from AAR and KIS. The host blood species engorged by P. sergenti were grouped in four categories: human (45.5%), livestock (25%), avian (19.9%), and dog (9.6%). This study provided information about the spatial and temporal distribution, age and species composition, and host preference of sand fly vectors that influence disease transmission. This information will allow us to better target sand flies, to control the disease, and to monitor risk prone areas.
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Intraspecific Genomic Divergence and Minor Structural Variations in Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11030252. [PMID: 32120946 PMCID: PMC7140786 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis is one of the most important Leishmania species associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Latin America. Despite its wide geographic distribution and pathogenic potential in humans and animals, the genomic variability of this species is low compared with other Leishmania species circulating in the same geographical area. No studies have reported a detailed analysis of the whole genome of L. panamensis from clinical isolates using DNA high-throughput sequencing to clarify its intraspecific genomic variability or plausible divergence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the intraspecific genomic variability of L. panamensis from Colombia and Panama. A total of 22 genomes were analyzed, 19 from Colombian patients with CL and three genomes from Panama obtained from public databases. The phylogenomic analysis revealed the potential existence of three well-supported clades as evidence of intraspecific divergence. Additionally, the whole-genome analysis showed low structural variations in terms of ploidy, copy number variations, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNPs shared among all clades were identified, revealing their importance in different biological processes of L. panamensis. The findings not only expand our knowledge of intraspecific genomic variability of one of the most important Leishmania species in South America but also highlights the possible existence of different clades/lineages/subpopulations across a geographic scale.
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Tsokana CN, Sokos C, Giannakopoulos A, Birtsas P, Valiakos G, Spyrou V, Athanasiou LV, Rodi Burriel A, Billinis C. European Brown hare (Lepus europaeus) as a source of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of Public Health importance: A review. Vet Med Sci 2020; 6:550-564. [PMID: 32088933 PMCID: PMC7397891 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
European brown hare (Lepus europaeus, EBH) is probably the most important game animal in Europe throughout its historical distribution. The decline in its populations across its geographic range in Europe have been attributed to factors such as reproductive rate and the ability for adaptation, climate, feed availability, predators, anthropogenic factors and diseases. Apart from common diseases of hares with a high impact on their mortality such as European Brown hare Syndrome, EBH has been involved in the epidemiology of pathogens with zoonotic potential. In this work, the role of EBH as a source of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), Yersinia spp., Brucella spp., Francisella tularensis, Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum is discussed. Hares may significantly contribute to the epidemiology of important emerging zoonotic pathogens through maintenance of high endemicity levels as in the case of CCHFV, as a reservoir of important pathogens such as Yersinia spp., B. suis, F. tularensis and L. infantum and as a potential source of T. gondii for other animals, especially for carnivores but also for humans. However, EBH may also be a host of minor importance as in the case of HEV. The continuous surveillance of hare populations will enable the collection of information on the population health status and the pathogens currently circulating in the area posing risk for wildlife, domestic animals and humans. The possible live animal translocations of infected hares, the fact that this species acts as a host of vectors (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and sandflies) and the prey of carnivores and omnivores that travel in great distances getting into contact with domestic animals and humans, further highlights the need to be included in surveillance studies. Besides, the hunter‐harvested EBH population is an excellent indicator for recent pathogen transmission due to its short lifespan. The present review provides an overview of the role of European Brown Hare as a source of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), Yersinia spp., Brucella spp., Francisella tularensis, Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum aiming to highlight the contribution of this species to the epidemiology of important emerging zoonotic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantina N Tsokana
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Christos Sokos
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Alexios Giannakopoulos
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Periklis Birtsas
- Research Division, Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Administration, Technological Institute of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - George Valiakos
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Vassiliki Spyrou
- Department of Animal Production, Technological Education Institute of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Labrini V Athanasiou
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | | | - Charalambos Billinis
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
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Herrera G, Castillo A, Ayala MS, Flórez C, Cantillo-Barraza O, Ramirez JD. Evaluation of four rapid diagnostic tests for canine and human visceral Leishmaniasis in Colombia. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:747. [PMID: 31455227 PMCID: PMC6712844 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-4353-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis caused by different species of Leishmania affect 98 countries worldwide. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is the mortal clinical presentation of the disease that causes the dead to more than 90% of the patients who suffer it. The diagnosis of VL is made by the direct observation of the parasite in bone marrow, spleen and/or liver aspirates that requires complex proceedings. Therefore, serum samples are submitted to Indirect Immunofluorescence to identify the presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies. Despite the variability in the diagnostic performance of the Immunochromatographic Tests (ICTs), there are many evidences that suggest that ICTs can be used for epidemiological screening. However, in Colombia there are not any evidence about the performance of the ICTs for VL diagnosis, both for human and canine serum samples. Therefore, this study evaluated the diagnostic performance of 4 ICTs for VL (2 ICTs in human sera and 2 ICTs in canine sera) in samples from endemic areas of Colombia. METHODS We selected a total of 156 human serum samples (82 positive and 74 negative for VL) and 126 canine serum samples (71 positive and 54 negative) diagnosed by in house Indirect Immunofluorescence (IIF). The samples were submitted to the ICTs following the manufacturers' instructions. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each ICT in comparison with the IIF. PCR for HSP70 gene and sanger sequencing was performed in samples with negative results for both ICTs. RESULTS The sensitivity (S) of both ICTs for human samples (Ad-bio Leishmania IgG/IgM Combo Rapid Test and Kalazar Detect™) was 91.5% and specificity (E) were 93.2 and 89.2% respectively, while for the ICTs tested on canine samples (Kalazar Detect™ Rapid Test, Canine and DPP® CVL rapid test) we found S values between 82.9 and 85.7% and E values between 79.6 and 92.6%. We found L. infantum by PCR and sequencing in 2 human samples, and L. braziliensis and L. amazonensis in canine serum samples that were negative by both ICTs. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that both tests evaluated on human samples have a similar diagnostic performance, while the Kalazar Detect™ Rapid Test, Canine showed a better diagnostic performance than the DPP® CVL rapid test evaluated on canine samples. Also, we suggest that it is necessary to design tests with antigens of the circulating strains to increase its diagnostic utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanny Herrera
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Castillo
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martha S. Ayala
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Flórez
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas (BCEI), Sede de Investigación Universitaria, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramirez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Urrea DA, Triana-Chavez O, Alzate JF. Mitochondrial genomics of human pathogenic parasite Leishmania ( Viannia) panamensis. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7235. [PMID: 31304069 PMCID: PMC6611448 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The human parasite Leishmania (V.) panamensis is one of the pathogenic species responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Central and South America. Despite its importance in molecular parasitology, its mitochondrial genome, divided into minicircles and maxicircles, haven’t been described so far. Methods Using NGS-based sequencing (454 and ILLUMINA), and combining de novo genome assembly and mapping strategies, we report the maxicircle kDNA annotated genome of L. (V.) panamensis, the first reference of this molecule for the subgenus Viannia. A comparative genomics approach is performed against other Leishmania and Trypanosoma species. Results The results show synteny of mitochondrial genes of L. (V.) panamensis with other kinetoplastids. It was also possible to identify nucleotide variants within the coding regions of the maxicircle, shared among some of them and others specific to each strain. Furthermore, we compared the minicircles kDNA sequences of two strains and the results show that the conserved and divergent regions of the minicircles exhibit strain-specific associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Alfonso Urrea
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical (LIPT), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibague, Tolima, Colombia.,Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas (BCEI), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Omar Triana-Chavez
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas (BCEI), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Juan F Alzate
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica -CNSG, Sede de Investigación Universitaria -SIU. Grupo de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
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Kazemirad E, Reisi Nafchi H, Latifi A, Raoofian R, Mohebali M, Hajjaran H. Comparison of Cysteine Protease B Gene Expression between Clinical Isolates of Leishmania tropica, Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2019. [DOI: 10.29252/jommid.7.3.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
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S. L. Figueiredo de Sá B, Rezende AM, de Melo Neto OP, de Brito MEF, Brandão Filho SP. Identification of divergent Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis ecotypes derived from a geographically restricted area through whole genome analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007382. [PMID: 31170148 PMCID: PMC6581274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania braziliensis, the main etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Latin America, is characterized by major differences in basic biology in comparison with better-known Leishmania species. It is also associated with a high phenotypic and possibly genetic diversity that need to be more adequately defined. Here we used whole genome sequences to evaluate the genetic diversity of ten L. braziliensis isolates from a CL endemic area from Northeastern Brazil, previously classified by Multi Locus Enzyme Electrophoresis (MLEE) into ten distinct zymodemes. These sequences were first mapped using the L. braziliensis M2904 reference genome followed by identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). A substantial level of diversity was observed when compared with the reference genome, with SNP counts ranging from ~95,000 to ~131,000 for the different isolates. When the genome data was used to infer relationship between isolates, those belonging to zymodemes Z72/Z75, recovered from forested environments, were found to cluster separately from the others, generally associated with more urban environments. Among the remaining isolates, those from zymodemes Z74/Z106 were also found to form a separate group. Phylogenetic analyses were also performed using Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis from genes coding for four metabolic enzymes used for MLEE as well as the gene sequence coding for the Hsp70 heat shock protein. All 10 isolates were firmly identified as L. braziliensis, including the zymodeme Z26 isolate previously classified as Leishmania shawi, with the clustering into three groups confirmed. Aneuploidy was also investigated but found in general restricted to chromosome 31, with a single isolate, from zymodeme Z27, characterized by extra copies for other chromosomes. Noteworthy, both Z72 and Z75 isolates are characterized by a much reduced heterozygosity. Our data is consistent with the existence of distinct evolutionary groups in the restricted area sampled and a substantial genetic diversity within L. braziliensis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonio M. Rezende
- Department of Microbiology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute/FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Murillo J, Montoya A, Carrillo-Bonilla L, Rodriguez B, Vélez ID, Robledo SM. Verification and monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis in hamsters caused by Leishmania infantum, using non-invasive approaches involving ultrasound imaging and blood gases. Exp Parasitol 2019; 201:78-89. [PMID: 31047987 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Hamsters are a suitable experimental model for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) because they mimic the features of the human disease. However, the infection after inoculation can only be verified after sacrifice of the animal or several months following infection, when obvious signs of the disease appear, compromising animal welfare in both cases. Unlike other studies, the present work used an inoculum of 5 × 108 promastigotes to induce Leishmania infantum infection, which are easier to produce than amastigotes, in in vitro culture. The infection in hamsters was detected using non-invasive methods such as ultrasound imaging (USG) and blood gases, in addition to alterations in hematological parameters and weight loss. USG imaging identified changes in the size and echogenicity of the spleen, liver, and kidney as early as week 9 (W9) after experimental inoculation. However, blood gases, specially lactate, was increased in response to the infection, with statistically significant differences between W9 and W0 (before infection) (p < 0.0001). The conventional hematological parameters showed progressive pancytopenia and weight loss of 15% and 10% in infected males and females respectively, at W9 versus W0 (p < 0.0001). Histological changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen correlated with changes detected by USG imaging and the number of parasites increased proportionately to the progression of infection, being higher at W24. In conclusion, USG imaging, lactate levels, hematocrit and hemoglobin parameters, along with weight loss allowed early detection of infection, which was then confirmed by the identification and quantification of parasites in the blood, liver, and spleen by qRT-PCR. In contrast, blood chemistry was not a useful tool in the early detection of VL infection because it did not correlate with alterations evident in other techniques. The use of non-invasive tools eliminates the need for animal sacrifice to confirm infection, thus reducing the number of animals required for a given study and eliminating the need to wait until the appearance of severe signs of infection, which affect animal welfare. These tools are therefore advantageous for use in preclinical studies, for studying pathogenesis as also for vaccine and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Murillo
- PECET-School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Andrés Montoya
- PECET-School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Lina Carrillo-Bonilla
- PECET-School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellín, Colombia; Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Berardo Rodriguez
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Iván D Vélez
- PECET-School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sara M Robledo
- PECET-School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia-Udea, Calle 70 # 52-21, Medellín, Colombia.
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Razavinasab SZ, Sharifi I, Aflatoonian MR, Babaei Z, Mohammadi MA, Salarkia E, Sharifi F, Aghaei Afshar A, Bamorovat M. Expansion of urban cutaneous leishmaniasis into rural areas of southeastern Iran: Clinical, epidemiological and phylogenetic profiles explored using 7SL high resolution melting-PCR analysis. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 66:1602-1610. [PMID: 30912874 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has increased remarkably in Iran and has expanded into new areas. The present study aimed to assess the emerging CL outbreak in southeastern Iran using high resolution melting-polymerase chain reaction (HRM-PCR) and phylogenetic analysis using the 7SL RNA gene marker. A cross-sectional and analytical survey was conducted during a house-to-house census of 11,021 inhabitants in Narmashir County in southeastern Iran in 2016. The cases were detected by direct smear microscopic examination and sequencing and were characterized using the 7SL RNA gene. All age groups and sexes were equally affected. Most were single lesions (70.7%). The hands (55.2%) and face (37.9%) were the main sites of involvement. The disease was more common among illiterate persons. Sequencing and HRM-PCR revealed that Leishmania tropica (accession no. MH632168 Qale-Shahid) was the principal causative agent of anthroponotic CL (ACL) in new areas of expansion. This is the first emergence of ACL in rural areas of Narmashir County. Based on the molecular data, the causative parasite species confirmed to be L. tropica. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicated that a single clone of the organism derived from a single source has spread into the affected villages. Construction of a main road, population movement and recent urbanization in the area are likely the major factors associated with the establishment of this new outbreak. This study was essential to enable the planning of effective therapeutic and prophylactic measures to control the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Aflatoonian
- Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Zahra Babaei
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mohammadi
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ehsan Salarkia
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sharifi
- Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Abbas Aghaei Afshar
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mehdi Bamorovat
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Fernandes CAH, Perez AM, Barros AC, Dreyer TR, da Silva MS, Morea EGO, Fontes MRM, Cano MIN. Dual cellular localization of the Leishmania amazonensis Rbp38 (LaRbp38) explains its affinity for telomeric and mitochondrial DNA. Biochimie 2019; 162:15-25. [PMID: 30930281 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Rbp38 is a protein exclusively found in trypanosomatid parasites, including Leishmania amazonensis, the etiologic agent of tegumentar leishmaniasis in the Americas. The protein was first described as a Leishmania tarentolae mitochondrial RNA binding protein. Later, it was shown that the trypanosomes Rbp38 orthologues were exclusively found in the mitochondria and involved in the stabilization and replication of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). In contrast, L. amazonensis Rbp38 (LaRbp38), co-purifies with telomerase activity and interacts not only with kDNA but also with telomeric DNA, although shares with its counterparts high sequence identity and a putative N-terminal mitochondrial targeting signal (MTS). To understand how LaRbp38 interacts both with nuclear and kDNA, we have first investigated its subcellular localization. Using hydroxy-urea synchronized L. amazonensis promastigotes we could show that LaRbp38 shuttles from mitochondria to the nucleus at late S and G2 phases. Further, we identified a non-classical nuclear localization signal (NLS) at LaRbp38 C-terminal that binds with importin alpha, a protein involved in the nuclear transport of several proteins. Also, we obtained LaRbp38 truncated forms among which, some of them also showed an affinity for both telomeric DNA and kDNA. Analysis of these truncated forms showed that LaRbp38 DNA-binding region is located between amino acid residues 95-235. Together, our findings strongly suggest that LaRbp38 is multifunctional with dual subcellular localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A H Fernandes
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil; Department of Physics and Biophysics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Arina M Perez
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrea C Barros
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago R Dreyer
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo S da Silva
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Cellular, (LECC), Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Edna Gicela O Morea
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos R M Fontes
- Department of Physics and Biophysics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Isabel N Cano
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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Pramanik PK, Paik D, Pramanik A, Chakraborti T. White jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) leaf extract has potent leishmanicidal activity against Leishmania donovani. Parasitol Int 2019; 71:41-45. [PMID: 30890371 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In pursuit of effective, safe and affordable antileishmanial drugs, the current study was designed to explore Corchorus capsularis L. leaf extract (CCEx) as an effective leishmanicidal substitute against Leishmania donovani. The leaf extract displays potent antileishmanial activity against L. donovani promastigotes with an IC50 value of 79.00 ± 0.3 μg/ml. CCEx also significantly induces intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) with a concomitant decrease in the level of non-protein thiols in virulent parasites. Additionally, CCEx treatment induces substantial morphological alterations in parasites. Moreover, reagent-based phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of various phytochemical constituents. Further study is underway to identify the bioactive component(s) or fraction(s) of CCEx through bioassay-guided fractionation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pijush Kanti Pramanik
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Dibyendu Paik
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Asmita Pramanik
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Tapati Chakraborti
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India.
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Romero AH, Rodríguez N, Oviedo H. 2-Aryl-quinazolin-4(3H)-ones as an inhibitor of leishmania folate pathway: In vitro biological evaluation, mechanism studies and molecular docking. Bioorg Chem 2019; 83:145-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Espada CR, Magalhães RM, Cruz MC, Machado PR, Schriefer A, Carvalho EM, Hornillos V, Alves JM, Cruz AK, Coelho AC, Uliana SRB. Investigation of the pathways related to intrinsic miltefosine tolerance in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis clinical isolates reveals differences in drug uptake. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2019; 11:139-147. [PMID: 30850347 PMCID: PMC6904789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In Brazil, cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused predominantly by L. (V.) braziliensis. The few therapeutic drugs available exhibit several limitations, mainly related to drug toxicity and reduced efficacy in some regions. Miltefosine (MF), the only oral drug available for leishmaniasis treatment, is not widely available and has not yet been approved for human use in Brazil. Our group previously reported the existence of differential susceptibility among L. (V.) braziliensis clinical isolates. In this work, we further characterized three of these isolates of L. (V.) braziliensis chosen because they exhibited the lowest and the highest MF half maximal inhibitory concentrations and were therefore considered less tolerant or more tolerant, respectively. Uptake of MF, and also of phosphocholine, were found to be significantly different in more tolerant parasites compared to the less sensitive isolate, which raised the hypothesis of differences in the MF transport complex Miltefosine Transporter (MT)-Ros3. Although some polymorphisms in those genes were found, they did not correlate with the drug susceptibility phenotype. Drug efflux and compartmentalization were similar in the isolates tested, and amphotericin B susceptibility was retained in MF tolerant parasites, suggesting that increased fitness was also not the basis of observed differences. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Ros3 mRNA levels were upregulated in the sensitive strain compared to the tolerant ones. Increased mRNA abundance in more tolerant isolates was validated by quantitative PCR. Our results suggest that differential gene expression of the MT transporter complex is the basis of the differential susceptibility in these unselected, naturally occurring parasites. Brazilian L. (V.) braziliensis isolates vary in mitefosine susceptibility. Diminished drug internalization was observed in more tolerant isolates. Drug susceptibility did not correlate with SNPs in MT-Ros3 genes. Drug efflux and compartmentalization were similar in the isolates tested. Increased drug sensitivity is accompanied by Ros3 mRNA upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline R Espada
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rubens M Magalhães
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Mario C Cruz
- Centro de Facilidades para Apoio a Pesquisa, CEFAP-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo R Machado
- Serviço de Imunologia, HUPES, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Albert Schriefer
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Edgar M Carvalho
- Serviço de Imunologia, HUPES, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fiocruz-Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Valentín Hornillos
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Sevilla and Centro de Innovación en Química Avanzada (ORFEO-CINQA), Sevilla, Spain
| | - João M Alves
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Angela K Cruz
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Adriano C Coelho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Silvia R B Uliana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Mohammadpour I, Hatam GR, Handjani F, Bozorg-Ghalati F, PourKamal D, Motazedian MH. Leishmania cytochrome b gene sequence polymorphisms in southern Iran: relationships with different cutaneous clinical manifestations. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:98. [PMID: 30696426 PMCID: PMC6352432 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-018-3667-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania species, is a geographically extensive disease that infects humans and animals. CL is endemic in half of the 31 provinces of Iran, with 29,201 incidence cases reported in Fars province from 2010 to 2015. CL is polymorphic and may result in lesions characterized by different clinical features. Parasite genetic diversity is proposed to be one of the factors affecting the clinical outcome and lesion characteristics in CL patients. However, there is still very limited data regarding the genetic variation of Leishmania spp. based on the sequencing of Cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. Methods All patients originated from endemic regions in Fars province. The amplification of the Cyt b gene from isolates of 100 patients with disparate clinical forms of CL was accomplished using Nested-PCR. Sequence analysis of the amplified Cyt b was used to scrutinize the genetic variations among Leishmania isolates and connect the results with clinical pictures. The clinical demonstrations were basically of two types, typical and atypical lesions. Molecular phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Neighbor-Joining method, with species/strains from this study compared to species/strains from other geographical regions. Results Leishmania major was identified as the predominant infecting Leishmania spp. (86% of cases), with the remainder of cases being infected by Leishmania tropica. Clinical examination of patients revealed 12 different clinical CL forms. Among Leishmania samples analyzed, five distinct haplotypes were recognized: three in L. major and two in L. tropica. We found a correlation between clinical outcomes and Cyt b sequence variation of Leishmania spp. involved. Moreover, we observed a higher presence of polymorphisms in L. major compared with L. tropica. This difference may be due to the different eco-epidemiologies of both species, with L. tropica being an anthroponosis compared to L. major, which is a zoonosis. Conclusions The sequence analysis of Cyt b gene from 25 L. major and L. tropica strains demonstrated genetic variability of L. major and L. tropica causing CL in southern Iran, and a feasible connection amid the genetic heterogeneity of the parasite, geographical source and clinical appearance of the disease in human was detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iraj Mohammadpour
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Gholam Reza Hatam
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farhad Handjani
- Molecular Dermatology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Bozorg-Ghalati
- Department of Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Daniel PourKamal
- Fajr Health Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Motazedian
- Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Mousavi T, Shokohi S, Abdi J, Naserifar R, Ahmadi M, Mirzaei A. Determination of genetic diversity of Leishmania species using mini-circle kDNA, in Iran-Iraq countries border. Trop Parasitol 2018; 8:77-82. [PMID: 30693211 PMCID: PMC6329268 DOI: 10.4103/tp.tp_3_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important diseases worldwide, with a different range of prevalence in endemic areas. Anthroponotic and zoonotic CL are two epidemiological forms of CL, in Iran. Although Ilam Province in the west of Iran is one of the main endemic areas of the disease, there is no inclusive study to determine the genetic variations of parasite in these areas. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of Leishmania species in Ilam Province, using mini-circle kDNA gene. Materials and Methods: Direct smears were taken from skin lesions of 200 suspected cases of CL. Smears were stained, screened under light microscope. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed, using specific kinetoplast DNA primers. Data were analyzed, using the molecular bio-software. Results: All the samples were positive by direct examination. PCR results showed all cases were positive for Leishmania major. Although all isolated cases belong to a different county of Ilam province, all were positive for L. major with intra-species genetic diversity, divided into four clades in the dendrogram. Interpretation and Conclusion: This variation can affect drug resistance and controlling strategies of parasite. It is possible that different species of sand flies and rodents are the vector and reservoir of parasite, respectively; however, further studies are needed to validate this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Mousavi
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Paramedical School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Sahar Shokohi
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Paramedical School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Jahangir Abdi
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Paramedical School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Razi Naserifar
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Paramedical School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Ahmadi
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Asad Mirzaei
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Paramedical School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
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Genomic Analysis of Colombian Leishmania panamensis strains with different level of virulence. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17336. [PMID: 30478412 PMCID: PMC6255768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35778-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of Leishmania infection in mammalian hosts and the subsequent manifestation of clinical symptoms require internalization into macrophages, immune evasion and parasite survival and replication. Although many of the genes involved in these processes have been described, the genetic and genomic variability associated to differences in virulence is largely unknown. Here we present the genomic variation of four Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis strains exhibiting different levels of virulence in BALB/c mice and its application to predict novel genes related to virulence. De novo DNA sequencing and assembly of the most virulent strain allowed comparative genomics analysis with sequenced L. (Viannia) panamensis and L. (Viannia) braziliensis strains, and showed important variations at intra and interspecific levels. Moreover, the mutation detection and a CNV search revealed both base and structural genomic variation within the species. Interestingly, we found differences in the copy number and protein diversity of some genes previously related to virulence. Several machine-learning approaches were applied to combine previous knowledge with features derived from genomic variation and predict a curated set of 66 novel genes related to virulence. These genes can be prioritized for validation experiments and could potentially become promising drug and immune targets for the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.
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45
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Development and characterization of mouse monoclonal antibodies to eight human complement components: Analysis of reactivity with orthologs of nine mammalian genera. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 62:7-12. [PMID: 30711050 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
To study complement function in mammalian leishmanioses, we developed mouse monoclonal antibodies to the human complement system components C1q, C4, factor D, factor H, factor B, properdin, C5 and C9. Antibody specificity was determined by indirect and capture ELISA and by Western blot. In flow cytometry analysis, seven antibodies recognized the cognate component on human serum-opsonized Leishmania promastigotes. Antibody reactivity was screened against promastigotes opsonized with sera of nine mammalian genera: pig, guinea pig, goat, rabbit, cat, dog, hamster, jird and rat. No antibody recognized jird epitopes on promastigotes. Anti-C4, -properdin, and -C5b reacted with the orthologous protein of all other mammals tested except cat (anti-properdin) and hamster (anti-C5b); anti-C9 only recognized the rabbit ortholog, and anti-C1q, -factor B and -factor H did not react with any of the nine orthologs. Such interspecies crossreactive antibodies can be valuable tools for analysis of mammalian complement function in infectious diseases.
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Petersen ALDOA, Campos TA, Dantas DADS, Rebouças JDS, da Silva JC, de Menezes JPB, Formiga FR, de Melo JV, Machado G, Veras PST. Encapsulation of the HSP-90 Chaperone Inhibitor 17-AAG in Stable Liposome Allow Increasing the Therapeutic Index as Assessed, in vitro, on Leishmania (L) amazonensis Amastigotes-Hosted in Mouse CBA Macrophages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:303. [PMID: 30214897 PMCID: PMC6126448 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The current long-term treatment for leishmaniasis causes severe side effects and resistance in some cases. An evaluation of the anti-leishmanial potential of an HSP90-inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), demonstrated its potent effect against Leishmania spp. in vitro and in vivo. We have previously shown that 17-AAG can kill L. (L) amazonensis promastigotes with an IC50 of 65 nM and intracellular amastigote at concentrations as low as 125 nM. As this compound presents low solubility and high toxicity in human clinical trials, we prepared an inclusion complex containing hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and 17-AAG (17-AAG:HPβCD) to improve its solubility. This complex was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Liposomes-containing 17-AAG:HPβCD was prepared and evaluated for encapsulation efficiency (EE%), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), pH, and zeta potential, before and after accelerated and long-term stability testing. An evaluation of leishmanicidal activity against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. (L) amazonensis was also performed. The characterization techniques utilized confirmed the formation of the inclusion complex, HPβCD:17-AAG, with a resulting 33-fold-enhancement in compound water solubility. Stability studies revealed that 17-AAG:HPβCD-loaded liposomes were smaller than 200 nm, with 99% EE. Stability testing detected no alterations in PDI that was 0.295, pH 7.63, and zeta potential +22.6, suggesting liposome stability, and suitability for evaluating leishmanicidal activity. Treatment of infected macrophages with 0.006 nM of 17-AAG:HPβCD or 17-AAG:HPβCD-loaded liposomes resulted in almost complete amastigote clearance inside macrophages after 48 h. This reduction is similar to the one observed in infected macrophages treated with 2 μM amphotericin B. Our results showed that nanotechnology and drug delivery systems could be used to increase the antileishmanial efficacy and potency of 17-AAG in vitro, while also resulting in reduced toxicity that indicates these formulations may represent a potential therapeutic strategy against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thiers A Campos
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.,Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (LAMM), Center of Strategical Technologies (CETENE), Recife, Brazil
| | | | - Juliana de Souza Rebouças
- Laboratory of Parasite-Host Interaction and Epidemiology (LAIPHE), Gonçalo Moniz Institute-FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil.,Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Juliana Cruz da Silva
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (LAMM), Center of Strategical Technologies (CETENE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Juliana P B de Menezes
- Laboratory of Parasite-Host Interaction and Epidemiology (LAIPHE), Gonçalo Moniz Institute-FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Fábio R Formiga
- Postgraduate Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Pernambuco (UPE), Recife, Brazil.,Laboratory of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (LEITV), Gonçalo Moniz Institute-FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Janaina V de Melo
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (LAMM), Center of Strategical Technologies (CETENE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Machado
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (LAMM), Center of Strategical Technologies (CETENE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Patrícia S T Veras
- Laboratory of Parasite-Host Interaction and Epidemiology (LAIPHE), Gonçalo Moniz Institute-FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil.,National Institute of Technology in Tropical Diseases-National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brasilia, Brazil
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Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a deadly parasitic disease, is a major public health concern globally. Countries affected by VL have signed the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases and committed to eliminate VL as a public health problem by 2020. To achieve and sustain VL elimination, it will become progressively important not to miss any remaining cases in the community who can maintain transmission. This requires accurate identification of symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers using highly sensitive diagnostic tools at the primary health service setting. The rK39 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is the most widely used tool and with its good sensitivity and specificity is the first choice for decentralized diagnosis of VL in endemic areas. However, this test cannot discriminate between current, subclinical, or past infections and is useless for diagnosis of relapses and as a prognostic (cure) test. Importantly, as the goal of elimination of VL as a public health problem is approaching, the number of people susceptible to infection will increase. Therefore, correct diagnosis using a highly sensitive diagnostic test is crucial for applying appropriate treatment and management of cases. Recent advances in molecular techniques have improved Leishmania detection and quantification, and therefore this technology has become increasingly relevant due to its possible application in a variety of clinical sample types. Most importantly, given current problems in identifying asymptomatic individuals because of poor correlation between the main methods of detection, molecular tests are valuable for VL elimination programs, especially to monitor changes in burden of infection in specific communities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the available VL diagnostics and discusses the usefulness of molecular methods in the diagnosis, quantification, and species differentiation as well as their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundar
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221 005, India
| | - Om Prakash Singh
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221 005, India.
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Cassan C, Diagne CA, Tatard C, Gauthier P, Dalecky A, Bâ K, Kane M, Niang Y, Diallo M, Sow A, Brouat C, Bañuls AL. Leishmania major and Trypanosoma lewisi infection in invasive and native rodents in Senegal. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006615. [PMID: 29958273 PMCID: PMC6042788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioinvasion is a major public health issue because it can lead to the introduction of pathogens in new areas and favours the emergence of zoonotic diseases. Rodents are prominent invasive species, and act as reservoirs in many zoonotic infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the link between the distribution and spread of two parasite taxa (Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma lewisi) and the progressive invasion of Senegal by two commensal rodent species (the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus and the black rat Rattus rattus). M. m. domesticus and R. rattus have invaded the northern part and the central/southern part of the country, respectively. Native and invasive rodents were caught in villages and cities along the invasion gradients of both invaders, from coastal localities towards the interior of the land. Molecular diagnosis of the two trypanosomatid infections was performed using spleen specimens. In the north, neither M. m. domesticus nor the native species were carriers of these parasites. Conversely, in the south, 17.5% of R. rattus were infected by L. major and 27.8% by T. lewisi, while very few commensal native rodents were carriers. Prevalence pattern along invasion gradients, together with the knowledge on the geographical distribution of the parasites, suggested that the presence of the two parasites in R. rattus in Senegal is of different origins. Indeed, the invader R. rattus could have been locally infected by the native parasite L. major. Conversely, it could have introduced the exotic parasite T. lewisi in Senegal, the latter appearing to be poorly transmitted to native rodents. Altogether, these data show that R. rattus is a carrier of both parasites and could be responsible for the emergence of new foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis, or for the transmission of atypical human trypanosomiasis in Senegal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Cassan
- MIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe A. Diagne
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
- Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Caroline Tatard
- CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Gauthier
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Khalilou Bâ
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Mamadou Kane
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Youssoupha Niang
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Mamoudou Diallo
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Aliou Sow
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Campus ISRA/IRD de Bel Air, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Carine Brouat
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Lamm R, Alves C, Perrotta G, Murphy M, Messina C, Sanchez JF, Perez E, Rosales LA, Lescano AG, Smith E, Valdivia H, Fuhrer J, Ballard SB. Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Negative Microscopic Diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Rural Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 99:331-337. [PMID: 29869605 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic to South America where diagnosis is most commonly conducted via microscopy. Patients with suspected leishmaniasis were referred for enrollment by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Lima, Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, and several rural areas of Peru. A 43-question survey requesting age, gender, occupation, characterization of the lesion(s), history of leishmaniasis, and insect-deterrent behaviors was administered. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted on lesion materials at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 in Lima, and the results were compared with those obtained by the MoH using microscopy. Factors associated with negative microscopy and positive PCR results were identified using χ2 test, t-test, and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Negative microscopy with positive PCR occurred in 31% (123/403) of the 403 cases. After adjusting for confounders, binary multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that negative microscopy with positive PCR was associated with patients who were male (adjusted odds ration [OR] = 1.93 [1.06-3.53], P = 0.032), had previous leishmaniasis (adjusted OR = 2.93 [1.65-5.22], P < 0.0001), had larger lesions (adjusted OR = 1.02 [1.003-1.03], P = 0.016), and/or had a longer duration between lesion appearance and PCR testing (adjusted OR = 1.12 [1.02-1.22], P = 0.017). Future research should focus on further exploration of these underlying variables, discovery of other factors that may be associated with negative microscopy diagnosis, and the development and implementation of improved testing in endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Lamm
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York.,Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Grace Perrotta
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Meagan Murphy
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | | | - Juan F Sanchez
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.,School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), Lima, Peru.,US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | - Erika Perez
- US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Andres G Lescano
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.,US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | - Edward Smith
- US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Jack Fuhrer
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Sarah-Blythe Ballard
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.,US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru
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50
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[Molecular typing of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and species of the subgenus Viannia associated with cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in Colombia: A concordance study]. BIOMEDICA 2018; 38:86-95. [PMID: 29668138 DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.v38i0.3632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) is the reference standard for the characterization of Leishmania species. The test is restricted to specialized laboratories due to its technical complexity, cost, and time required to obtain results. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) is used to identify Leishmania species. OBJECTIVE To establish the concordance between the two tests as identifying methods for circulating species in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 96 isolates from patients with cutaneous or mucosal leishmaniasis were selected and identified by MLEE and PCR-RFLP with miniexon and hsp70 as the molecular targets, which were used sequentially. Restriction enzymes HaeIII and BccI were similarly applied. Cohen's kappa coefficient and the 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS The kappa coefficient and the 95% CI between MLEE and PCR-RFLP displayed "very good" concordance with a coefficient of 0.98 (CI95%: 0.98 to 1.00). The identified species were Leishmania Viannia braziliensis, Leishmania Viannia panamensis, Leishmania Viannia guyanensis and Leishmania Leishmania amazonensis. A total of 80 of the 96 isolates were sequenced and the results obtained by PCR-RFLP were confirmed. CONCLUSION Due to the concordance obtained between tests results with the amplification of the genes miniexon and hsp70, PCR-RFLP is proposed as an alternative for identifying circulating Leishmania species in Colombia.
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