title: Cytotoxic cell involvement in human cutaneous leishmaniasis: assessments in active disease, under therapy and after clinical cure.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an important public health issue worldwide. The control of Leishmania infection depends on cellular immune mechanisms, and the inflammatory response may contribute to pathogenesis. A beneficial role of CD8(+) T lymphocytes has been proposed; nevertheless, other studies suggest a cytotoxic role of CD8(+) T lymphocytes involved in tissue damage, showing controversial role of these cells. The goal of the current study was to understand the immunopathology of CL and determine the profile of cytotoxic cells--such as CD4(+) T, natural killer and natural killer T cells--that might be involved in triggering immunological mechanisms, and may lead to cure or disease progression. The frequencies of cytotoxic cell populations in peripheral blood, obtained from patients with active disease, during treatment and after clinical healing, were assessed by flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity could not be related to a deleterious role in Leishmania braziliensis infection, as patients with active CL showed similar percentages of degranulation to healthy individuals (HI). Cured patients exhibited a lower percentage of degranulating cells, which may be due to a downregulation of the immune response. The understanding of the immunopathological mechanisms involved in CL and the commitment of cytotoxic cells enables improvements in therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Flow Cytometry Sorting Core, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Surveillance for Leishmaniasis, Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectology (INI), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: M I F
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Surveillance for Leishmaniasis, Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectology (INI), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lyra
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Surveillance for Leishmaniasis, Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectology (INI), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Schubach
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Medical Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Da-Cruz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Flow Cytometry Sorting Core, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bertho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis / Q000276:immunology; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D008875:Middle Aged; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate
keywords: CD107a; NK cells; NKT cells; cytotoxic T cells; flow cytometry; human cutaneous leishmaniasis