title: Association of pro-inflammatory cytokines and iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) with Leishmania burden in canine visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: Leishmania infantum infection in humans and dogs can evolve with a wide range of clinical presentations, varying from asymptomatic infections to visceral leishmaniasis. We hypothesized that the immune response elicited by L. infantum infection could modulate whether the host will remain asymptomatic or progress to disease. A total of 44 dogs naturally infected with L. infantum were studied. Leishmania burden was estimated in the blood and spleen by qPCR. The expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and Iron Regulatory Protein 2 (IRP2) were determined in the spleen by quantitative PCR. Sera cytokines were evaluated by ELISA. Dogs were grouped in quartiles according parasite burden. Increased expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α was associated with reduced Leishmania burden, whereas increased IL-10 and IRP2 expressions were associated with higher Leishmania load. Increased plasma albumin and IFN-γ expression explained 22.8% of the decrease in parasite burden in the spleen. These data confirm that lower IFN-γ response and higher IL-10 correlated with increased parasite load and severity of the visceral leishmaniasis in dogs. The balance between the branches of immune response and the intracellular iron availability could determine, in part, the course of Leishmania infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil ; Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Ricardo Porfírio
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
authors.forename: Daniella Regina Arantes
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Glória Regina Góis
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Paula Vivianne
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Francisco Paulo
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Freire-Neto
authors.forename: José Wilton
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Adila Lorena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Morais Lima
authors.forename: Selma Maria Bezerra
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jeronimo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007501:Iron / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D035942:Iron Regulatory Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D059208:Parasite Load; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007501:Iron; D035942:Iron Regulatory Protein 2