title: Expression analysis of viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene in Leishmania species by real-time RT-PCR.
abstract: Viscerotropic leishmaniasis (VTL) is a parasitic disease with non-specific manifestations caused by Leishmania tropica. Specific antigens produced by Viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene have been used for diagnosis of VTL. The aim of this study was to compare the expression level of VTL gene among the viscerotropic L. tropica isolates (n: 3) and visceral L. infantum isolates (n: 4). Also, the expression level was compared in L. tropica (n: 21) and L. major (n: 8) isolates, the main causes of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran by real time-RT-PCR. Results showed viscerotropic leishmaniasis gene was expressed in all 3 species; L. tropica, L. major and L. infantum. The most expression rate was in L. tropica and L. major as the cutaneous species and the lowest in visceral isolates including L. infantum and viscerotropic L. tropica strains respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results revealed that VTL gene can play an important role in visceralization process of L. tropica although there are other mechanisms to keep parasite visceralized. According to these primary results, increased the expression level of VTL gene probably could contribute to inhibit the invasive behavior of Leishmania parasites. However, more experimental researches are needed to confirm this idea.
authors.forename: Hossein Reisi
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Nafchi
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kazemi-Rad
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohebali
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raoofian
authors.forename: Niloofar Bavarsad
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ahmadpour
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oshaghi
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hajjaran
mesh_terms: D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction