title: Extracellular matrix alterations in experimental murine Leishmania (L.) amazonensis infection.
abstract: Here we describe extracellular matrix alterations in footpad lesions and draining lymph nodes caused by Leishmania (L.) amazonensis in mouse strains with distinct susceptibilities to this parasite: BALB/c (susceptible), C57BL/6 (intermediate), and DBA/2 (resistant). Changes in ECM were observed mainly in BALB/c mice that, in general, presented tissue damage associated with high parasite burden. Under polarized light, Sirius Red revealed type I collagen that was predominant in the primary lesion in all strains studied at the early phase of infection, but gradually decreased and was replaced by abundant type III collagen fibres in chronic phase lesions. The presence of type III collagen seemed to provide support to inflammatory cells, mainly vacuolated and parasitized macrophages. Laminin expression was not altered during infection by L. (L.) amazonensis in any of the mouse strains studied. Furthermore, the decreased fibronectin expression, in all strains, in areas where amastigotes have been found, indicated that this decline was also not related to the genetic background.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Abreu-Silva
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mortara
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Tedesco
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: L O P
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves da Costa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D007891:Leishmania / Q000254:growth & development*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D005353:Fibronectins; D007797:Laminin