title: Influence of apoptosis on liver and spleen resistance in dogs with visceral leishmaniosis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate apoptosis and parasite load in the liver and spleen of dogs with visceral leishmaniosis (VL), using immunohistochemistry. Liver and spleen samples from 71 dogs with VL were used. The parasite load in the spleen and liver showed significant difference between organs in infected group (P=0.0219). The density of the parasite load in the spleen (median=2.4) was higher than liver (median=0.8). Immunodetection of apoptotic cells was predominant in lymphocytes and differ between the infected and control group in spleen (P=0.0307) and liver (P=0.0346). There was a significant correlation between apoptosis and parasite load (P = 0.0084; r=0.3104) only in the spleen of the infected group, where it was observed that, when increasing the number of apoptotic cells increases the parasitic load. It was concluded that the liver and spleen of infected dogs presented greater numbers of cells undergoing apoptosis (lymphocytes) than the control group, thus suggesting that this process may be contributing towards the survival of Leishmania in these organs, because lymphocyte in apoptosis did not have the ability to present and recognize the antigen, allowing the survival of the parasite.
authors: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.
authors: Pamela Rodrigues Reina
authors: PR
authors: Moreira
authors: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.
authors: Douglas Augusto
authors: DA
authors: Franciscato
authors: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.
authors: Sabrina Micelli
authors: SM
authors: Rossit
authors: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.
authors: Danísio Prado
authors: DP
authors: Munari
authors: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.
authors: Rosemeri de Oliveira
authors: Rde O
authors: Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology*; D059208:Parasite Load; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology*