title: Revealing the kinetics of Leishmania chagasi infection in the male genital system of hamsters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmaniasis causes alterations and lesions in the genital system, which leads to azoospermia and testicular atrophy in animals during the chronic phase of the infection. The aim of this study was to reveal the kinetics of Leishmania chagasi infection in the genital system of male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).
  
  
  METHODS
  Animals were intraperitoneally inoculated with amastigotes from L. chagasi. At different time points animals were euthanized and genital organs processed for histo-pathological, qPCR, cytokines and testosterone detection assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed a high parasite load in testis, followed by an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL1-β, TNF-α and IFN-γ, and testosterone. Subsequently, IL-4 expression was upregulated and basal parasite persistence in testis was observed using the experimental approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracellular amastigotes migrated to the epididymis posing as a potential major factor of parasite persistence and venereal transmission of L. chagasi infection in hamsters.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Amanda P N
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Quintal
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bruna C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Brígido
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rebecca T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Notário
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marlus A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernanda G O
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Antônio V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Mundim
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Guilherme M J
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Uberaba, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: André B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil. silva_cv@yahoo.com.br.|Departamento de Imunologia - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil. silva_cv@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Claudio V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007891:Leishmania / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Epididymis; Extracellular amastigotes; Immune response; Leishmania chagasi; Testis; Testosterone