title: Salivary gland homogenates from wild-caught sand flies Lutzomyia flaviscutellata and Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) complexus showed inhibitory effects on Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in BALB/c mice.
abstract: During the natural transmission of Leishmania parasites, the infected sand fly female regurgitates promastigotes into the host's skin together with its saliva. It has been reported that vector saliva contains immunomodulatory molecules that facilitate the establishment of infection. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the specificity of Lutzomyia (Lu.) flaviscutellata and Lu. (Psychodopygus) complexus salivas on the infectivity of Leishmania (L.) (Leishmania) amazonensis and L. (Viannia) braziliensis, respectively. BALB/c mice were inoculated into the skin of hind footpad with L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (V.) braziliensis promastigotes in the absence or presence of Lu. flaviscutellata and Lu. (P.) complexus salivary gland homogenates (SGHs). The evolution of the infection was evaluated by lesion size, histopathological analysis and determination of the parasite load in the skin biopsies collected from the site of infection at 4 and 8 weeks PI. The lesion size and the parasite load of both groups of mice infected in the presence of SGHs were smaller than the control groups. The histopathological features showed that the inflammatory reaction was less prominent in the groups of mice infected in the presence of both SGHs when compared to the control group. The results showed that the presence of SGHs of Lu. flaviscutellata and Lu. (P.) complexus led to induction of processes that were disadvantageous to parasite establishment during infection by L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (V.) braziliensis. An inhibitory effect on Leishmania infection could be observed in both groups inoculated with SGHs, especially when the SGH from Lu. (P.) complexus was used.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology of Infectious Diseases LIM-50, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Francesquini
authors.forename: Fernando T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Luiz Felipe D
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Passero
authors.forename: Thaise Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tomokane
authors.forename: Ana Kely
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo P
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Márcia D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Laurenti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007891:Leishmania / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D007897:Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D059208:Parasite Load; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: BALB/c mice; Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis; Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis; Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) complexus; Lutzomyia flaviscutellata; experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis; salivary gland homogenate