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Central Asian Rodents as Model Animals for Leishmania major and Leishmania donovani Research. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091440. [PMID: 32962237 PMCID: PMC7563294 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical manifestation of leishmaniases depends on parasite species, host genetic background, and immune response. Manifestations of human leishmaniases are highly variable, ranging from self-healing skin lesions to fatal visceral disease. The scope of standard model hosts is insufficient to mimic well the wide disease spectrum, which compels the introduction of new model animals for leishmaniasis research. In this article, we study the susceptibility of three Asian rodent species (Cricetulus griseus, Lagurus lagurus, and Phodopus sungorus) to Leishmania major and L. donovani. The external manifestation of the disease, distribution, as well as load of parasites and infectiousness to natural sand fly vectors, were compared with standard models, BALB/c mice and Mesocricetus auratus. No significant differences were found in disease outcomes in animals inoculated with sand fly- or culture-derived parasites. All Asian rodent species were highly susceptible to L. major. Phodopus sungorus showed the non-healing phenotype with the progressive growth of ulcerative lesions and massive parasite loads. Lagurus lagurus and C. griseus represented the healing phenotype, the latter with high infectiousness to vectors, mimicking best the character of natural reservoir hosts. Both, L. lagurus and C. griseus were also highly susceptible to L. donovani, having wider parasite distribution and higher parasite loads and infectiousness than standard model animals.
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Finding a model for the study of Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection: The Yucatan Deer mouse (Peromyscus yucatanicus) as a suitable option. Acta Trop 2018; 187:158-164. [PMID: 30092224 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For more than four decades, the murine model has been employed extensively to understand immunological mechanisms associated with Leishmania infection. Although the use of laboratory mice has been very informative, mainly for L. (L.) major infection, the extrapolation to other Leishmania species and more importantly to human disease has been limited. Particularly in the case of L. (L.) mexicana, most infected mouse strains are highly susceptible and never presented asymptomatic infection, which is the main outcome in human. Thus, we postulated the use of Peromyscus yucatanicus, a primary reservoir of L. (L.) mexicana in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, as an experimental model to study Leishmania infection. This rodent species can produce both asymptomatic and clinical infections therefore they seem more appropriate for studying host-pathogen interactions. In this review, we recapitulate the immunological findings observed in the traditional murine model of L. (L.) mexicana highlighting the differences with humans' infection and demonstrate the pertinence of P. yucatanicus as the experimental model for studying L. (L.) mexicana infection.
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Habitat, species richness and hantaviruses of sigmodontine rodents within the Interior Atlantic Forest, Paraguay. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201307. [PMID: 30067840 PMCID: PMC6070238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Four of the nine sigmodontine tribes have species that serve as reservoirs of rodent-borne hantaviruses (RBO-HV), few have been studied in any depth. Several viruses have been associated with human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome often through peridomestic exposure. Jabora (JABV) and Juquitiba (JUQV), harbored by Akodon montensis and Oligoryzomys nigripes, respectively, are endemic and sympatric in the Reserva Natural de Bosque Mbaracayú (RNBM), Paraguay, a protected area of the Interior Atlantic Forest. Rodent communities were surveyed along a 30 km stretch of the RNBM in eight vegetation classifications (Low, High, Bamboo, Riparian and Liana Forests, Bamboo Understory, Cerrado, and Meadow/Grasslands). We collected 417 rodents from which 11 species were identified; Akodon montensis was the predominant species (72%; 95%CI: 64.7%-76.3%), followed by Hylaeamys megacephalus (15% (11.2%-18.2%)) and Oligoryzomys nigripes (9% (6.6%-12.4%)). We examined the statistical associations among habitat (vegetation class) type, rodent species diversity, population structure (age, sex, and weight), and prevalence of RBO-HV antibody and/or viral RNA (Ab/RNA) or characteristic Leishmania tail lesions. Ab/RNA positive rodents were not observed in Cerrado and Low Forest. A. montensis had an overall Ab/RNA prevalence of 7.7% (4.9%-11.3%) and O. nigripes had an overall prevalence of 8.6% (1.8%-23.1%). For A. montensis, the odds of being Ab/RNA positive in High Forest was 3.73 times of the other habitats combined. There was no significant difference among age classes in the proportion of Ab/RNA positive rodents overall (p = 0.66), however, all 11 RNA-positive individuals were adult. Sex and habitat had independent prognostic value for hantaviral Ab/RNA in the study population; age, presence of tail scar/lesion (19% of the rodents) and weight did not. Adjusting for habitat, female rodents had less risk of becoming infected. Importantly, these data suggest habitat preferences of two sympatric rodent reservoirs for two endemic hantaviruses and the importance of including habitat in models of species diversity and habitat fragmentation.
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Loria-Cervera EN, Sosa-Bibiano EI, Van Wynsberghe NR, Saldarriaga OA, Melby PC, Andrade-Narvaez FJ. Cytokine mRNA expression in Peromyscus yucatanicus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana. Cytokine 2016; 83:176-181. [PMID: 27155064 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Peromyscus yucatanicus, the main reservoir of Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, reproduces clinical and histological pictures of LCL in human as well as subclinical infection. Thus, we used this rodent as a novel experimental model. In this work, we analyzed cytokine mRNA expression in P. yucatanicus infected with L. (L.) mexicana. Animals were inoculated with either 2.5×10(6) or 1×10(2) promastigotes and cytokine expressions were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR in skin at 4 and 12weeks post-infection (wpi). Independently of the parasite inoculum none of the infected rodents had clinical signs of LCL at 4wpi and all expressed high IFN-γ mRNA. All P. yucatanicus inoculated with 2.5×10(6) promastigotes developed signs of LCL at 12wpi while the mice inoculated with 1×10(2) remained subclinical. At that time, both IFN-γ and IL-10 were expressed in P. yucatanicus with clinical and subclinical infections. Expressions of TNF-α and IL-4 were significantly higher in clinical animals (2.5×10(6)) compared with subclinical ones (1×10(2)). High TGF-β expression was observed in P. yucatanicus with clinical signs when compared with healthy animals. Results suggested that the clinical course of L. (L.) mexicana infection in P. yucatanicus was associated with a specific local pattern of cytokine production at 12wpi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsy Nalleli Loria-Cervera
- Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Ave. Itzaes No. 490 x 59-A, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
| | - Erika Ivett Sosa-Bibiano
- Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Ave. Itzaes No. 490 x 59-A, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
| | - Nicole Raymonde Van Wynsberghe
- Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Ave. Itzaes No. 490 x 59-A, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
| | - Omar Abdul Saldarriaga
- Center for Tropical Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, 4.304 Marvin Graves Building, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Peter C Melby
- Center for Tropical Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, 4.304 Marvin Graves Building, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Fernando Jose Andrade-Narvaez
- Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Ave. Itzaes No. 490 x 59-A, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
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Mears ER, Modabber F, Don R, Johnson GE. A Review: The Current In Vivo Models for the Discovery and Utility of New Anti-leishmanial Drugs Targeting Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003889. [PMID: 26334763 PMCID: PMC4559374 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The current in vivo models for the utility and discovery of new potential anti-leishmanial drugs targeting Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) differ vastly in their immunological responses to the disease and clinical presentation of symptoms. Animal models that show similarities to the human form of CL after infection with Leishmania should be more representative as to the effect of the parasite within a human. Thus, these models are used to evaluate the efficacy of new anti-leishmanial compounds before human clinical trials. Current animal models aim to investigate (i) host–parasite interactions, (ii) pathogenesis, (iii) biochemical changes/pathways, (iv) in vivo maintenance of parasites, and (v) clinical evaluation of drug candidates. This review focuses on the trends of infection observed between Leishmania parasites, the predictability of different strains, and the determination of parasite load. These factors were used to investigate the overall effectiveness of the current animal models. The main aim was to assess the efficacy and limitations of the various CL models and their potential for drug discovery and evaluation. In conclusion, we found that the following models are the most suitable for the assessment of anti-leishmanial drugs: L. major–C57BL/6 mice (or–vervet monkey, or–rhesus monkeys), L. tropica–CsS-16 mice, L. amazonensis–CBA mice, L. braziliensis–golden hamster (or–rhesus monkey). We also provide in-depth guidance for which models are not suitable for these investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rose Mears
- College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Farrokh Modabber
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
- Center for Research and Training on Skin Diseases and Leprosy (CRTSDL), Tehran University Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Robert Don
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
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Loría-Cervera EN, Andrade-Narváez FJ. Animal models for the study of leishmaniasis immunology. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2014; 56:1-11. [PMID: 24553602 PMCID: PMC4085833 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652014000100001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis remains a major public health problem worldwide and is
classified as Category I by the TDR/WHO, mainly due to the absence of control. Many
experimental models like rodents, dogs and monkeys have been developed, each with
specific features, in order to characterize the immune response to
Leishmania species, but none reproduces the pathology observed in
human disease. Conflicting data may arise in part because different parasite strains
or species are being examined, different tissue targets (mice footpad, ear, or base
of tail) are being infected, and different numbers (“low” 1×102 and “high”
1×106) of metacyclic promastigotes have been inoculated. Recently, new
approaches have been proposed to provide more meaningful data regarding the host
response and pathogenesis that parallels human disease. The use of sand fly saliva
and low numbers of parasites in experimental infections has led to mimic natural
transmission and find new molecules and immune mechanisms which should be considered
when designing vaccines and control strategies. Moreover, the use of wild rodents as
experimental models has been proposed as a good alternative for studying the
host-pathogen relationships and for testing candidate vaccines. To date, using
natural reservoirs to study Leishmania infection has been
challenging because immunologic reagents for use in wild rodents are lacking. This
review discusses the principal immunological findings against
Leishmania infection in different animal models highlighting the
importance of using experimental conditions similar to natural transmission and
reservoir species as experimental models to study the immunopathology of the
disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsy Nalleli Loría-Cervera
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", MéridaYucatán, México, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Fernando José Andrade-Narváez
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", MéridaYucatán, México, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Mérida, Yucatán, México
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Dumonteil E, Rosado-Vallado M, Zavala-Castro JE. Pioneering neglected disease research in southern Mexico at the "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" regional research center. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2530. [PMID: 24278488 PMCID: PMC3836960 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
- * E-mail:
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jorge E. Zavala-Castro
- Director Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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Loria-Cervera EN, Sosa-Bibiano EI, Villanueva-Lizama LE, Van Wynsberghe NR, Schountz T, Andrade-Narvaez FJ. Cloning and sequence analysis of Peromyscus yucatanicus (Rodentia) Th1 (IL-12p35, IFN-γ and TNF) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β) cytokines. Cytokine 2013; 65:48-55. [PMID: 24120849 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2013.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Yucatan deer mouse, Peromyscus yucatanicus (order Rodentia), is the principal reservoir of Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Experimental infection results in clinical and histopathological features similar to those observed in humans with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) as well as peritoneal macrophage production of nitric oxide. These results support the possible use of P. yucatanicus as a novel experimental model to study CL caused by L. (L.) mexicana. However, immunological studies in these rodents have been limited by the lack of specific reagents. To address this issue, we cloned and analyzed cytokine sequences of P. yucatanicus as part of an effort to develop this species as a CL model. We cloned P. yucatanicus interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-10, IL-12p35, gamma interferon, transforming growth factor beta and tumor necrosis factor partial cDNAs. Most of the P. yucatanicus sequences were highly conserved with orthologs of other mammalian species and the identity of all sequences were confirmed by the presence of conserved amino acids with possible biological functions in each putative polypeptide. The availability of these sequences is a first step which will allow us to carry out studies characterizing the immune response during pathogenic and nonpathogenic L. (L.) mexicana infections in P. yucatanicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsy Nalleli Loria-Cervera
- Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Ave. Itzaes No. 490 x 59-A, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
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Loría-Cervera EN, Sosa-Bibiano EI, Villanueva-Lizama LE, Van Wynsberghe NR, Canto-Lara SB, Batún-Cutz JL, Andrade-Narváez FJ. Nitric oxide production by Peromyscus yucatanicus (Rodentia) infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2013; 108:172-7. [PMID: 23579796 PMCID: PMC3970676 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276108022013008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Peromyscus yucatanicus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is a primary reservoir of Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). Nitric oxide (NO) generally plays a crucial role in the containment and elimination of Leishmania. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of NO produced by P. yucatanicus infected with L. (L.) mexicana. Subclinical and clinical infections were established in P. yucatanicus through inoculation with 1 x 10 2 and 2.5 x 10 6 promastigotes, respectively. Peritoneal macrophages were cultured alone or co-cultured with lymphocytes with or without soluble Leishmania antigen. The level of NO production was determined using the Griess reaction. The amount of NO produced was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.0001) in co-cultured macrophages and lymphocytes than in macrophages cultured alone. No differences in NO production were found between P. yucatanicus with subclinical L. (L.) mexicana infections and animals with clinical infections. These results support the hypothesis that the immunological mechanisms of NO production in P. yucatanicus are similar to those described in mouse models of leishmaniasis and, despite NO production, P. yucatanicus is unable to clear the parasite infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsy Nalleli Loría-Cervera
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Yucatán, México.
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