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Bhattacharya S, Chakraborty S, Manna D, Thakur P, Chakravorty N, Mukherjee B. Deciphering the intricate dynamics of inflammasome regulation in visceral and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis: A meta-analysis of consistencies. Acta Trop 2024; 257:107313. [PMID: 38964632 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107313] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Post Kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) arises as a significant dermal sequel following Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani (LD). PKDL acts as a significant constrain for VL elimination serving as a crucial reservoir for LD. PKDL patients exhibit depigmented macular and papular lesions on their skin, which results in social discrimination due to loss of natural skin color. Inflammatory reactions, prevalent in both VL and PKDL, potentially lead to tissue damage in areas harboring the parasite. Disruption of the immune-inflammasomal network not only facilitates LD persistence but also leads to the skin hypopigmentation seen in PKDL, impacting social well-being. Activation of inflammasomal markers like STAT1, NLRP1, NLRP3, AIM2, CASP11, and NLRP12 have been identified as a common host-defense mechanism across various Leishmania infections. Conversely, Leishmania modulates inflammasome activation to sustain its presence within the host. Nevertheless, in specific instances of Leishmania infection, inflammasome activation can worsen disease pathology by promoting parasite proliferation and persistence. This study encompasses recent transcriptomic analyses conducted between 2016 and 2023 on human and murine subjects afflicted with VL/PKDL, elucidating significant alterations in inflammasomal markers in both conditions. It offers a comprehensive understanding how these markers contribute in disease progression, drawing upon available literature for logical analysis. Furthermore, our analysis identifies validated miRNA network that could potentially disrupt this crucial immune-inflammasomal network, thereby offering a plausible explanation on how secreted LD-factors could enable membrane-bound LD, isolated from the host cytoplasm, to modulate cytoplasmic inflammasomal markers. Insights from this study could guide the development of host-directed therapeutics to impede transmission and address hypopigmentation, thereby mitigating the social stigma associated with PKDL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Debolina Manna
- School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Pradipti Thakur
- School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Nishant Chakravorty
- School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Budhaditya Mukherjee
- School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India.
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2
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Savardashtaki A, Khalili Alashti S, Vafadar A, Sadeghi M, Baneshi M, Hashemi KS, Karami J, Muro A, Manzano-Roman R, Rashidi S. An integrated bioinformatic analysis of microarray datasets to identify biomarkers and miRNA-based regulatory networks in leishmaniasis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12981. [PMID: 38839916 PMCID: PMC11153516 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63462-5] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Micro RNAs (miRNAs, miRs) and relevant networks might exert crucial functions during differential host cell infection by the different Leishmania species. Thus, a bioinformatic analysis of microarray datasets was developed to identify pivotal shared biomarkers and miRNA-based regulatory networks for Leishmaniasis. A transcriptomic analysis by employing a comprehensive set of gene expression profiling microarrays was conducted to identify the key genes and miRNAs relevant for Leishmania spp. infections. Accordingly, the gene expression profiles of healthy human controls were compared with those of individuals infected with Leishmania mexicana, L. major, L. donovani, and L. braziliensis. The enrichment analysis for datasets was conducted by utilizing EnrichR database, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network to identify the hub genes. The prognostic value of hub genes was assessed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Finally, the miRNAs that interact with the hub genes were identified using miRTarBase, miRWalk, TargetScan, and miRNet. Differentially expressed genes were identified between the groups compared in this study. These genes were significantly enriched in inflammatory responses, cytokine-mediated signaling pathways and granulocyte and neutrophil chemotaxis responses. The identification of hub genes of recruited datasets suggested that TNF, SOCS3, JUN, TNFAIP3, and CXCL9 may serve as potential infection biomarkers and could deserve value as prognostic biomarkers for leishmaniasis. Additionally, inferred data from miRWalk revealed a significant degree of interaction of a number of miRNAs (hsa-miR-8085, hsa-miR-4673, hsa-miR-4743-3p, hsa-miR-892c-3p, hsa-miR-4644, hsa-miR-671-5p, hsa-miR-7106-5p, hsa-miR-4267, hsa-miR-5196-5p, and hsa-miR-4252) with the majority of the hub genes, suggesting such miRNAs play a crucial role afterwards parasite infection. The hub genes and hub miRNAs identified in this study could be potentially suggested as therapeutic targets or biomarkers for the management of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Savardashtaki
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shayan Khalili Alashti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Asma Vafadar
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Sadeghi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Baneshi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Kimia Sadat Hashemi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jafar Karami
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (E-INTRO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Raúl Manzano-Roman
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (E-INTRO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Sajad Rashidi
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran.
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran.
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3
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Fernandes JCR, Gonçalves ANA, Floeter-Winter LM, Nakaya HI, Muxel SM. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of long noncoding RNAs in Leishmania-infected human macrophages. Front Genet 2023; 13:1051568. [PMID: 36685903 PMCID: PMC9845402 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1051568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that infection with Leishmania alters the host cell's transcriptome. Since mammalian cells have multiple mechanisms to control gene expression, different molecules, such as noncoding RNAs, can be involved in this process. MicroRNAs have been extensively studied upon Leishmania infection, but whether long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are also altered in macrophages is still unexplored. We performed RNA-seq from THP-1-derived macrophages infected with Leishmania amazonensis (La), L. braziliensis (Lb), and L. infantum (Li), investigating a previously unappreciated fraction of macrophage transcriptome. We found that more than 24% of the total annotated transcripts and 30% of differentially expressed (DE) RNAs in Leishmania-infected macrophage correspond to lncRNAs. LncRNAs and protein coding RNAs with altered expression are similar among macrophages infected with the Leishmania species. Still, some species-specific alterations could occur due to distinct pathophysiology in which Li infection led to a more significant number of exclusively DE RNAs. The most represented classes among DE lncRNAs were intergenic and antisense lncRNAs. We also found enrichment for immune response-related pathways in the DE protein coding RNAs, as well as putative targets of the lncRNAs. We performed a coexpression analysis to explore potential cis regulation of coding and antisense noncoding transcripts. We identified that antisense lncRNAs are similarly regulated as its neighbor protein coding genes, such as the BAALC/BAALC-AS1, BAALC/BAALC-AS2, HIF1A/HIF1A-AS1, HIF1A/HIF1A-AS3 and IRF1/IRF1-AS1 pairs, which can occur as a species-specific modulation. These findings are a novelty in the field because, to date, no study has focused on analyzing lncRNAs in Leishmania-infected macrophage. Our results suggest that lncRNAs may account for a novel mechanism by which Leishmania can control macrophage function. Further research must validate putative lncRNA targets and provide additional prospects in lncRNA function during Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane C. R. Fernandes
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Instituto de Medicina Tropical da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Lucile M. Floeter-Winter
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Sandra M. Muxel
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,*Correspondence: Sandra M. Muxel,
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Jafarzadeh A, Nemati M, Aminizadeh N, Bodhale N, Sarkar A, Jafarzadeh S, Sharifi I, Saha B. Bidirectional cytokine-microRNA control: A novel immunoregulatory framework in leishmaniasis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010696. [PMID: 35925884 PMCID: PMC9351994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
As effector innate immune cells and as a host to the protozoan parasite Leishmania, macrophages play a dual role in antileishmanial immunoregulation. The 2 key players in this immunoregulation are the macrophage-expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and the macrophage-secreted cytokines. miRNAs, as small noncoding RNAs, play vital roles in macrophage functions including cytokines and chemokines production. In the reverse direction, Leishmania-regulated cytokines alter miRNAs expression to regulate the antileishmanial functions of macrophages. The miRNA patterns vary with the time and stage of infection. The cytokine-regulated macrophage miRNAs not only help parasite elimination or persistence but also regulate cytokine production from macrophages. Based on these observations, we propose a novel immunoregulatory framework as a scientific rationale for antileishmanial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdollah Jafarzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- * E-mail: (AJ); (BS)
| | - Maryam Nemati
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Department of Haematology and Laboratory Sciences, School of Para-Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Najmeh Aminizadeh
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University Branch of Kerman, Kerman
| | | | - Arup Sarkar
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sara Jafarzadeh
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre For Cell Science, Pune, India
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- * E-mail: (AJ); (BS)
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5
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Ramos-Sanchez EM, Reis LC, Souza MDA, Muxel SM, Santos KR, Lagos D, Pereira VRA, de Brito MEF, Kaye PM, Floeter-Winter LM, Goto H. miR-548d-3p Is Up-Regulated in Human Visceral Leishmaniasis and Suppresses Parasite Growth in Macrophages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:826039. [PMID: 35265535 PMCID: PMC8900537 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.826039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Latin America progress with hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia, and weight loss and maybe lethal mainly in untreated cases. miRNAs are important regulators of immune and inflammatory gene expression, but their mechanisms of action and their relationship to pathogenesis in leishmaniasis are not well understood. In the present study, we sought to quantify changes in miRNAs associated with immune and inflammatory pathways using the L. (L.) infantum promastigote infected- human monocytic THP-1 cell model and plasma from patients with visceral leishmaniasis. We identified differentially expressed miRNAs in infected THP-1 cells compared with non-infected cells using qPCR arrays. These miRNAs were submitted to in silico analysis, revealing targets within functional pathways associated with TGF-β, chemokines, glucose metabolism, inflammation, apoptosis, and cell signaling. In parallel, we identified differentially expressed miRNAs in active visceral leishmaniasis patient plasma compared with endemic healthy controls. In silico analysis of these data indicated different predicted targets within the TGF-β, TLR4, IGF-I, chemokine, and HIF1α pathways. Only a small number of miRNAs were commonly identified in these two datasets, notably with miR-548d-3p being up-regulated in both conditions. To evaluate the potential biological role of miR-548d-3p, we transiently transfected a miR-548d-3p inhibitor into L. (L.) infantum infected-THP-1 cells, finding that inhibition of miR-548d-3p enhanced parasite growth, likely mediated through reduced levels of MCP-1/CCL2 and nitric oxide production. Further work will be required to determine how miR-548d-3p plays a role in vivo and whether it serves as a potential biomarker of progressive leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Milton Ramos-Sanchez
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Salud Publica, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
- Graduate Program in Animal Science, Agrarian Sciences Center (CCA), Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil
| | - Luiza Campos Reis
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina de Assis Souza
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sandra Márcia Muxel
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kamila Reis Santos
- Veterinary Clinical Immunology Research Group, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dimitris Lagos
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Paul Martin Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Hiro Goto
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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6
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Rashidi S, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Ghani E, Barazesh A, Karimazar M, Nguewa P, Carrera Silva EA. Highlighting the interplay of microRNAs from Leishmania parasites and infected-host cells. Parasitology 2021; 148:1434-1446. [PMID: 34218829 PMCID: PMC11010138 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021001177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites, the causative agents of leishmaniasis, are protozoan parasites with the ability to modify the signalling pathway and cell responses of their infected host cells. These parasite strategies alter the host cell environment and conditions favouring their replication, survival and pathogenesis. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) are able to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression processes, these biomolecules can exert critical roles in controlling Leishmania-host cell interplay. Therefore, the identification of relevant miRNAs differentially expressed in Leishmania parasites as well as in infected cells, which affect the host fitness, could be critical to understand the infection biology, pathogenicity and immune response against these parasites. Accordingly, the current review aims to address the differentially expressed miRNAs in both, the parasite and infected host cells and how these biomolecules change cell signalling and host immune responses during infection. A deep understanding of these processes could provide novel guidelines and therapeutic strategies for managing and treating leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Ghani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Afshin Barazesh
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Karimazar
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Paul Nguewa
- University of Navarra, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), c/Irunlarrea 1, 31008Pamplona, Spain
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7
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Souza MDA, Ramos-Sanchez EM, Muxel SM, Lagos D, Reis LC, Pereira VRA, Brito MEF, Zampieri RA, Kaye PM, Floeter-Winter LM, Goto H. miR-548d-3p Alters Parasite Growth and Inflammation in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:687647. [PMID: 34178725 PMCID: PMC8224172 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.687647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) is an endemic disease in Latin America, mainly caused in Brazil by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Clinical manifestations vary from mild, localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) to aggressive mucosal disease. The host immune response strongly determines the outcome of infection and pattern of disease. However, the pathogenesis of ATL is not well understood, and host microRNAs (miRNAs) may have a role in this context. In the present study, miRNAs were quantified using qPCR arrays in human monocytic THP-1 cells infected in vitro with L. (V.) braziliensis promastigotes and in plasma from patients with ATL, focusing on inflammatory response-specific miRNAs. Patients with active or self-healed cutaneous leishmaniasis patients, with confirmed parasitological or immunological diagnosis, were compared with healthy controls. Computational target prediction of significantly-altered miRNAs from in vitro L. (V.) braziliensis-infected THP-1 cells revealed predicted targets involved in diverse pathways, including chemokine signaling, inflammatory, cellular proliferation, and tissue repair processes. In plasma, we observed distinct miRNA expression in patients with self-healed and active lesions compared with healthy controls. Some miRNAs dysregulated during THP-1 in vitro infection were also found in plasma from self-healed patients, including miR-548d-3p, which was upregulated in infected THP-1 cells and in plasma from self-healed patients. As miR-548d-3p was predicted to target the chemokine pathway and inflammation is a central to the pathogenesis of ATL, we evaluated the effect of transient transfection of a miR-548d-3p inhibitor on L. (V.) braziliensis infected-THP-1 cells. Inhibition of miR-548d-3p reduced parasite growth early after infection and increased production of MCP1/CCL2, RANTES/CCL5, and IP10/CXCL10. In plasma of self-healed patients, MCP1/CCL2, RANTES/CCL5, and IL-8/CXCL8 concentrations were significantly decreased and MIG/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10 increased compared to patients with active disease. These data suggest that by modulating miRNAs, L. (V.) braziliensis may interfere with chemokine production and hence the inflammatory processes underpinning lesion resolution. Our data suggest miR-548d-3p could be further evaluated as a prognostic marker for ATL and/or as a host-directed therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina de Assis Souza
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Milton Ramos-Sanchez
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Salud Publica, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Peru
| | | | - Dimitris Lagos
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Luiza Campos Reis
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Paul Martin Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Hiro Goto
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (IMTSP/USP), São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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8
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Pacheco-Fernandez T, Volpedo G, Gannavaram S, Bhattacharya P, Dey R, Satoskar A, Matlashewski G, Nakhasi HL. Revival of Leishmanization and Leishmanin. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:639801. [PMID: 33816344 PMCID: PMC8010169 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.639801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis includes a spectrum of diseases ranging from debilitating cutaneous to fatal visceral infections. This disease is caused by the parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania that is transmitted by infected sandflies. Over 1 billion people are at risk of leishmaniasis with an annual incidence of over 2 million cases throughout tropical and subtropical regions in close to 100 countries. Leishmaniasis is the only human parasitic disease where vaccination has been successful through a procedure known as leishmanization that has been widely used for decades in the Middle East. Leishmanization involved intradermal inoculation of live Leishmania major parasites resulting in a skin lesion that following natural healing provided protective immunity to re-infection. Leishmanization is however no longer practiced due to safety and ethical concerns that the lesions at the site of inoculation that can last for months in some people. New genome editing technologies involving CRISPR has now made it possible to engineer safer attenuated strains of Leishmania, which induce protective immunity making way for a second generation leishmanization that can enter into human trials. A major consideration will be how the test the efficacy of a vaccine in the midst of the visceral leishmaniasis elimination program. One solution will be to use the leishmanin skin test (LST) that was also used for decades to determine exposure and immunity to Leishmania. The LST involves injection of antigen from Leishmania in the skin dermis resulting in a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) immune reaction associated with a Th1 immune response and protection against visceral leishmaniasis. Reintroduction of novel approaches for leishmanization and the leishmanin skin test can play a major role in eliminating leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalia Pacheco-Fernandez
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Greta Volpedo
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Parna Bhattacharya
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Ranadhir Dey
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Abhay Satoskar
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Greg Matlashewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Hira L Nakhasi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD, United States
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