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Burgess V, Maya JD. Statin and aspirin use in parasitic infections as a potential therapeutic strategy: A narrative review. Rev Argent Microbiol 2023; 55:278-288. [PMID: 37019801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ram.2023.01.006] [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] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections, including zoonoses, constitute a threat to human health due to the spread of resistant pathogens. These diseases generate an inflammatory response controlled by a resolving mechanism involving specialized membrane lipid-derived molecules called lipoxins, resolvins, maresins, and protectins. The production of some of these molecules can be triggered by aspirin or statins. Thus, it is proposed that modulation of the host response could be a useful therapeutic strategy, contributing to the management of resistance to antiparasitic agents or preventing drift to chronic, host-damaging courses. Therefore, the present work presents the state of the art on the use of statins or aspirin for the experimental management of parasitic infections such as Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis or malaria. The methodology used was a narrative review covering original articles from the last seven years, 38 of which met the inclusion criteria. Based on the publications consulted, modulation of the resolution of inflammation using statins may be feasible as an adjuvant in the therapy of parasitic diseases. However, there was no strong experimental evidence on the use of aspirin; therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate its role inflammation resolution process in infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Burgess
- Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan D Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago, Chile.
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Carrillo I, Rabelo RAN, Barbosa C, Rates M, Fuentes-Retamal S, González-Herrera F, Guzmán-Rivera D, Quintero H, Kemmerling U, Castillo C, Machado FS, Díaz-Araya G, Maya JD. Aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 reduces parasitic cardiac load by decreasing inflammation in a murine model of early chronic Chagas disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009978. [PMID: 34784372 PMCID: PMC8631674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Latin America and is widely distributed worldwide because of migration. In 30% of cases, after years of infection and in the absence of treatment, the disease progresses from an acute asymptomatic phase to a chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy, leading to heart failure and death. An inadequate balance in the inflammatory response is involved in the progression of chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy. Current therapeutic strategies cannot prevent or reverse the heart damage caused by the parasite. Aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 (AT-RvD1) is a pro-resolving mediator of inflammation that acts through N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2). AT-RvD1 participates in the modification of cytokine production, inhibition of leukocyte recruitment and efferocytosis, macrophage switching to a nonphlogistic phenotype, and the promotion of healing, thus restoring organ function. In the present study, AT-RvD1 is proposed as a potential therapeutic agent to regulate the pro-inflammatory state during the early chronic phase of Chagas disease. Methodology/Principal findings C57BL/6 wild-type and FPR2 knock-out mice chronically infected with T. cruzi were treated for 20 days with 5 μg/kg/day AT-RvD1, 30 mg/kg/day benznidazole, or the combination of 5 μg/kg/day AT-RvD1 and 5 mg/kg/day benznidazole. At the end of treatment, changes in immune response, cardiac tissue damage, and parasite load were evaluated. The administration of AT-RvD1 in the early chronic phase of T. cruzi infection regulated the inflammatory response both at the systemic level and in the cardiac tissue, and it reduced cellular infiltrates, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, and the parasite load in the heart tissue. Conclusions/Significance AT-RvD1 was shown to be an attractive therapeutic due to its regulatory effect on the inflammatory response at the cardiac level and its ability to reduce the parasite load during early chronic T. cruzi infection, thereby preventing the chronic cardiac damage induced by the parasite. Chagas disease is prevalent in Latin America and is widely distributed worldwide due to migration. In 30% of patients, if the parasite is left untreated, the disease may progress from an acute symptomless phase to chronic myocardial inflammation, which can cause heart failure and death, years after the infection. Imbalances in the inflammatory response are related to this progression. Current treatments cannot prevent or reverse the cardiac damage inflicted by the parasite. Aspirin-triggered resolvin D1, also named AT-RvD1, can modify cellular and humoral inflammatory responses leading to the resolution of inflammation, thus promoting healing and restoring organ function. In this study, AT-RvD1, in an N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2)-dependent manner, was shown to regulate local and systemic inflammation and decrease cellular infiltration in the heart tissue of mice chronically infected with the parasite and reduce cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in the early stages of the chronic phase of the disease. Importantly, AT-RvD1 was able to decrease parasite load in the infected hearts. Thus, this research indicates that At-RvD1 treatment is a potential therapeutic strategy that offers an improvement on current drug therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Carrillo
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rayane Aparecida Nonato Rabelo
- Programa em Ciências da Saúde, Doenças Infecciosas e Medicina Tropical/ Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - César Barbosa
- Laboratório de Imunorregulação de Doenças Infecciosas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mariana Rates
- Laboratório de Imunorregulação de Doenças Infecciosas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Fuentes-Retamal
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fabiola González-Herrera
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Guzmán-Rivera
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Helena Quintero
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Núcleo de Investigación Aplicada en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fabiana S. Machado
- Programa em Ciências da Saúde, Doenças Infecciosas e Medicina Tropical/ Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Laboratório de Imunorregulação de Doenças Infecciosas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Guillermo Díaz-Araya
- Departamento de Farmacología Química y Toxicología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (GD-A); (JDM)
| | - Juan D. Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (GD-A); (JDM)
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Anti-inflammatory actions of aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 (AT-RvD1) in bronchial epithelial cells infected with Cryptococcus neoformans. Inflammopharmacology 2021; 29:1603-1612. [PMID: 34405339 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-021-00855-2] [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: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interaction of Cryptococcus neoformans with airway epithelial cells is crucial for the establishment of cryptococcosis. Aspirin-triggered-resolvin D1 (AT-RvD1) is a lipid mediator produced during the resolution of inflammation and demonstrates anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution effects in several inflammatory experimental models including in the airways. METHOD Here, we evaluated the effects of AT-RvD1 (1, 10 or 100 nM) on human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) stimulated with C. neoformans (1, 10 or 100 multiplicities of infection; MOI). RESULTS After 24 h, C. neoformans (all MOI) demonstrated no cytotoxic effects and increased IL-8 production on BEAS-2B cells when compared to controls. In addition, C. neoformans (MOI 100) increased the concentration of IL-6, but not of IL-10. AT-RvD1 (100 nM) significantly reduced the concentration of IL-8 and IL-6 and increased IL-10 production in C. neoformans-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. C. neoformans increased the phosphorylation of NF-κB and ERK1/2, and ALX/FPR2 expression. AT-RvD1 reduced the activation of NF-kB without altering the ERK1/2 and ALX/FPR2 expression. The anti-inflammatory effects of AT-RvD1 were dependent on the ALX/FPR2, once its antagonist (BOC2) reversed its anti-inflammatory effects. No alteration on the fungal burden as well as interactions with BEAS-2B cells was observed by AT-RvD1. CONCLUSION AT-RvD1 demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory effects in bronchial epithelial cells infected with C. neoformans without affecting the development of C. neoformans infection in the airways. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Chiang N, Serhan CN. Specialized pro-resolving mediator network: an update on production and actions. Essays Biochem 2020; 64:443-462. [PMID: 32885825 PMCID: PMC7682745 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Today, persistent and uncontrolled inflammation is appreciated to play a pivotal role in many diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome and many other diseases of public health concern (e.g. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and periodontal disease). The ideal response to initial challenge in humans is a self-limited inflammatory response leading to complete resolution. The resolution phase is now widely recognized as a biosynthetically active process, governed by a superfamily of endogenous chemical mediators that stimulate resolution of inflammatory responses, namely specialized proresolving mediators (SPMs). Because resolution is the natural ideal response, the SPMs have gained attention. SPMs are mediators that include ω-6 arachidonic acid-derived lipoxins, ω-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-derived resolvins, protectins and maresins, cysteinyl-SPMs, as well as n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)-derived SPMs. These novel immunoresolvents, their biosynthetic pathways and receptors have proven to promote resolution of inflammation, clearance of microbes, reduce pain and promote tissue regeneration via specific cellular and molecular mechanisms. As of 17 August, 2020, PubMed.gov reported >1170 publications for resolvins, confirming their potent protective actions from many laboratories worldwide. Since this field is rapidly expanding, we provide a short update of advances within 2-3 years from human and preclinical animal studies, together with the structural-functional elucidation of SPMs and identification of novel SPM receptors. These new discoveries indicate that SPMs, their pathways and receptors could provide a basis for new approaches for treating inflammation-associated diseases and for stimulating tissue regeneration via resolution pharmacology and precision nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Chiang
- Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A
| | - Charles N Serhan
- Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A
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Resolvin D1 Administration Is Beneficial in Trypanosoma cruzi Infection. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00052-20. [PMID: 32152197 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00052-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a major public health issue, affecting ∼10 million people worldwide. Transmitted by a protozoan named Trypanosoma cruzi, this infection triggers a chronic inflammatory process that can lead to cardiomyopathy (Chagas disease). Resolvin D1 (RvD1) is a novel proresolution lipid mediator whose effects on inflammatory diseases dampens pathological inflammatory responses and can restore tissue homeostasis. Current therapies are not effective in altering the outcome of T. cruzi infection, and as RvD1 has been evaluated as a therapeutic agent in various inflammatory diseases, we examined if exogenous RvD1 could modulate the pathogenesis of Chagas disease in a murine model. CD-1 mice infected with the T. cruzi Brazil strain were treated with RvD1. Mice were administered 3 μg/kg of body weight RvD1 intraperitoneally on days 5, 10, and 15 to examine the effect of RvD1 on acute disease or administered the same dose on days 60, 65, and 70 to examine its effects on chronic infection. RvD1 therapy increased the survival rate and controlled parasite replication in mice with acute infection and reduced the levels of interferon gamma and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in mice with chronic infection. In addition, there was an increase in interleukin-10 levels with RvD1 therapy in both mice with acute infection and mice with chronic infection and a decrease in TGF-β levels and collagen content in cardiac tissue. Together, these data indicate that RvD1 therapy can dampen the inflammatory response, promote the resolution of T. cruzi infection, and prevent cardiac fibrosis.
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López-Muñoz RA, Molina-Berríos A, Campos-Estrada C, Abarca-Sanhueza P, Urrutia-Llancaqueo L, Peña-Espinoza M, Maya JD. Inflammatory and Pro-resolving Lipids in Trypanosomatid Infections: A Key to Understanding Parasite Control. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1961. [PMID: 30186271 PMCID: PMC6113562 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic trypanosomatids (Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania spp.) are protozoan parasites that cause neglected diseases affecting millions of people in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. In the process of infection, trypanosomatids evade and survive the immune system attack, which can lead to a chronic inflammatory state that induces cumulative damage, often killing the host in the long term. The immune mediators involved in this process are not entirely understood. Most of the research on the immunologic control of protozoan infections has been focused on acute inflammation. Nevertheless, when this process is not terminated adequately, permanent damage to the inflamed tissue may ensue. Recently, a second process, called resolution of inflammation, has been proposed to be a pivotal process in the control of parasite burden and establishment of chronic infection. Resolution of inflammation is an active process that promotes the normal function of injured or infected tissues. Several mediators are involved in this process, including eicosanoid-derived lipids, cytokines such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and interleukin (IL)-10, and other proteins such as Annexin-V. For example, during T. cruzi infection, pro-resolving lipids such as 15-epi-lipoxin-A4 and Resolvin D1 have been associated with a decrease in the inflammatory changes observed in experimental chronic heart disease, reducing inflammation and fibrosis, and increasing host survival. Furthermore, Resolvin D1 modulates the immune response in cells of patients with Chagas disease. In Leishmania spp. infections, pro-resolving mediators such as Annexin-V, lipoxins, and Resolvin D1 are related to the modulation of cutaneous manifestation of the disease. However, these mediators seem to have different roles in visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis. Finally, although T. brucei infections are less well studied in terms of their relationship with inflammation, it has been found that arachidonic acid-derived lipids act as key regulators of the host immune response and parasite burden. Also, cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β may be related to increased infection. Knowledge about the inflammation resolution process is necessary to understand the host–parasite interplay, but it also offers an interesting opportunity to improve the current therapies, aiming to reduce the detrimental state induced by chronic protozoan infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo A López-Muñoz
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Alfredo Molina-Berríos
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Odontológicas, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Campos-Estrada
- Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Farmacopea Chilena, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Patricio Abarca-Sanhueza
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis Urrutia-Llancaqueo
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Peña-Espinoza
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Juan D Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Chiurchiù V, Leuti A, Saracini S, Fontana D, Finamore P, Giua R, Padovini L, Incalzi RA, Maccarrone M. Resolution of inflammation is altered in chronic heart failure and entails a dysfunctional responsiveness of T lymphocytes. FASEB J 2018; 33:909-916. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801017r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Chiurchiù
- Department of MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
- European Center for Brain Research/Institute for Research and Health Care (IRCCS) Santa Lucia Foundation Rome Italy
| | - Alessandro Leuti
- Department of MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
- European Center for Brain Research/Institute for Research and Health Care (IRCCS) Santa Lucia Foundation Rome Italy
| | - Stefano Saracini
- Unit of Geriatric MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
| | - Davide Fontana
- Unit of Geriatric MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
| | - Panaiotis Finamore
- Unit of Geriatric MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
| | - Renato Giua
- Unit of Geriatric MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
| | - Lucia Padovini
- Unit of Geriatric MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
| | | | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of MedicineBio-Medico Campus University of Rome and Teaching Hospital Rome Italy
- European Center for Brain Research/Institute for Research and Health Care (IRCCS) Santa Lucia Foundation Rome Italy
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Trypanosoma cruzi Produces the Specialized Proresolving Mediators Resolvin D1, Resolvin D5, and Resolvin E2. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00688-17. [PMID: 29358332 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00688-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease (CD). CD is a persistent, lifelong infection affecting many organs, most notably the heart, where it may result in acute myocarditis and chronic cardiomyopathy. The pathological features include myocardial inflammation and fibrosis. In the Brazil strain-infected CD-1 mouse, which recapitulates many of the features of human infection, we found increased plasma levels of resolvin D1 (RvD1), a specialized proresolving mediator of inflammation, during both the acute and chronic phases of infection (>100 days postinfection) as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, ELISA on lysates of trypomastigotes of both strains Tulahuen and Brazil revealed elevated levels of RvD1 compared with lysates of cultured epimastigotes of T. cruzi, tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma brucei, cultured L6E9 myoblasts, and culture medium containing no cells. Lysates of T. cruzi-infected myoblasts also displayed increased levels of RvD1. Lipid mediator metabolomics confirmed that the trypomastigotes of T. cruzi produced RvD1, RvD5, and RvE2, which have been demonstrated to modulate the host response to bacterial infections. Plasma RvD1 levels may be both host and parasite derived. Since T. cruzi synthesizes specialized proresolving mediators of inflammation, as well as proinflammatory eicosanoids, such as thromboxane A2, one may speculate that by using these lipid mediators to modulate its microenvironment, the parasite is able to survive.
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Resolvin D1 drives establishment of Leishmania amazonensis infection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46363. [PMID: 28393908 PMCID: PMC5385529 DOI: 10.1038/srep46363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that the balance between different eicosanoids reflect the intensity of the inflammatory profile in patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis. More recently, pro-resolution lipid mediators have been shown to play critical roles in dampening pathological inflammatory processes to reestablish homeostasis in a diverse range of experimental settings. Among these lipid mediator, resolvins from D series have been described as potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators, and its activities include inhibition of leukocyte chemotaxis and blockage production of proinflammatory cytokines, while increasing the expression of regulatory mediators. Whether resolvins play significant roles in establishment and persistence of Leishmania infection is currently unknown. We addressed this question in the current study by assessing circulating levels of D-series resolvins in tegumentary leishmaniasis patients presenting with localized or diffuse disease. We found heightened expression of resolvin D1 in diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis which was correlated with expression profile of biomarkers associated with disease pathogenesis. Additional in vitro experiments using primary human macrophages indicated that resolvin D1 may promote intracellular Leishmania amazonensis replication through a mechanism associated with induction of heme oxygenase-1. These results suggest that targeting resolvin D1 could serve as potential strategy for host directed therapy in diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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