title: Miltefosine induces programmed cell death in Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes.
abstract: In the current study, we evaluated the mechanism of action of miltefosine, which is the first effective and safe oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis, in Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes. Miltefosine induced a process of programmed cell death, which was determined by the externalization of phosphatidylserine, the incorporation of propidium iodide, cell-cycle arrest at the sub-G0/G1 phase and DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosome-sized fragments. Despite the intrinsic variation that is detected in Leishmania spp, our results indicate that miltefosine causes apoptosis-like death in L. amazonensis promastigote cells using a similar process that is observed in Leishmania donovani.
authors: Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Fernanda de Aquino
authors: Fde A
authors: Marinho
authors: Keyla Cristiny da Silva
authors: KC
authors: Gonçalves
authors: Selma Soares de
authors: SS
authors: Oliveira
authors: Ana-Carolina de Siqueira Couto de
authors: AC
authors: Oliveira
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Bellio
authors: Claudia Masini
authors: CM
authors: d'Avila-Levy
authors: André Luis Souza dos
authors: AL
authors: Santos
authors: Marta Helena
authors: MH
authors: Branquinha
mesh_terms: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000187:drug effects*; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; C039128:miltefosine