title: Cellular immunophenotypic profile in the splenic compartment during canine visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: To determine the role of the spleen in the pathogenesis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), we analyzed cellular immunophenotypic profiles of 52 dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum, clinically classified as follows: asymptomatic dogs-I (AD-I), seronegative/PCR+; asymptomatic dogs-II (AD-II), seropositive/PCR+; oligosymptomatic dogs (OD) and symptomatic dogs (SD). Seven non-infected dogs (CD) were included as a control group. AD-II presented higher levels of CD8+ T splenocytes and lower TCD4+/TCD8+ ratio in comparison with CD. OD and SD showed lower percentages of CD21+ as compared with AD-II. All seropositive dogs presented lower levels of CD45RA+ than CD. Regardless of the stimuli used, the proliferation index from splenocytes in vitro was inversely correlated with clinical status. After LSA stimulation, there was a higher percentage of specific CD8+ T in AD-II than CD and non-stimulated culture. In contrast, splenocytes from SD under in vitro LSA stimulation induced decreased MHC-II+ expression in comparison with all groups, and non-stimulated culture. In conclusion, the role of CD8+ T splenocytes seems to be important for an effective immunological response, a hallmark of asymptomatic CVL, whereas the pronounced loss of MHC-II expression upon LSA stimulation is a biomarker of symptomatic CVL.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, CEP 35400-000 Minas Gerais, Brasil; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais CEP 35400-000, Brasil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. Electronic address: alexreis@nupeb.ufop.br.
authors.forename: Alexandre Barbosa
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Diagnóstico e Monitoração, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, CEP 21040-360 Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Andréa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teixeira-Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, CEP 35400-000 Minas Gerais, Brasil; Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901 Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo Cordeiro
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Giunchetti
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais CEP 35400-000, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bruno Mendes
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Roatt
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais CEP 35400-000, Brasil.
authors.forename: Wendel
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coura-Vital
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, CEP 35400-000 Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Roney de Carvalho
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Nicolato
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais CEP 35400-000, Brasil.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silveira-Lemos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, CEP 21040-360 Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corrêa-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Diagnóstico e Monitoração, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, CEP 21040-360 Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Olindo de Assis
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Martins-Filho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
keywords: Canine visceral leishmaniasis; Cellular immune response; Leishmania infantum; Splenic compartment