Leishmania braziliensis isolates differing at the genome level display distinctive features in BALB/c mice.
Leishmania braziliensis is the species responsible for the majority of cases of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. In the present study, L. braziliensis isolates from two different geographic areas in Brazil were studied by RAPD, using arbitrary primers. We also evaluated other biological features of these two isolates. We compared (a) the clinical features they initiate or not once delivered subcutaneously as stationary-phase promastigotes in the footpad of BALB/c mice; (b) the parasite load in both the footpad and the draining lymph node; (c) the cytokines present in the supernatant of cultures of the cell suspensions from the draining lymph nodes; and (d) the cell types present at the site of parasite delivery. The results show that the L. braziliensis strain from Ceará (H3227) is genotypically different from the L. braziliensis strain from Bahia (BA788). H3227-parasitized mice developed detectable lesions, whereas BA788-parasitized mice did not. Fifteen days post parasite inoculation there was an increase in the numbers of macrophages and lymphocytes in the footpads, whatever the parasite inoculum. Parasite load at the inoculation site--namely the footpad--did not differ significantly; in draining lymph nodes, however, it increased over the period under study. Early after parasite inoculation, the cells recovered from the draining lymph nodes of BA788-parasitized mice produced higher levels of IFN-gamma, a feature coupled to a higher number of NK cells. Later, after the parasite inoculation, there was an increased content of IL-12p70 and IL-10 in the supernatant of cells recovered from the lymph nodes of H3227-parasitized mice. This comparative analysis points out that L. braziliensis isolates differing in their genomic profiles do establish different parasitic processes in BALB/c mice.
Indiani de Oliveira
Camila
C
Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador, BA 40295-001, Brazil.
Teixeira
Maria Jania
MJ
Teixeira
Clarissa Romero
CR
Ramos de Jesus
Joílson
J
Bomura Rosato
Andréa
A
Santa da Silva
João
J
Brodskyn
Cláudia
C
Barral-Netto
Manoel
M
Barral
Aldina
A
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000032:analysis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000032:analysis; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
D016207:Cytokines; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021122:Protein Subunits; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma