title: Leishmania amazonensis infection induces behavioral alterations and modulates cytokine and neurotrophin production in the murine cerebral cortex.
abstract: Neurological symptoms have been associated with Leishmania infection, however little is known about how the nervous system is affected in leishmaniasis. This work aimed to analyze parasitic load, production of cytokines/neurotrophins in the prefrontal cortex and behavioral changes in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis. At 2 and 4months post-infection, infected mice showed a decrease in IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10 cytokines and BDNF and NGF neurotrophins in prefrontal cortex associated with increased anxiety behavior. Parasite DNA was found in brain of all animals at 4months post-infection, when the levels of IBA-1 (activated macrophage/microglia marker) and TNF-α was increased in the prefrontal cortex. However TNF-α returned to normal levels at 6months post-infection suggesting a neuroprotective mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Departamento de Imunobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Portes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Cultura de Tecidos Hertha Meyer, Departamento de Neurobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giestal-de-Araujo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagundes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia do Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Neurobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pandolfo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia do Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Neurobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Sá Geraldo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Departamento de Imunobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marie Luce Flores
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Departamento de Imunobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: veronicadoamaral@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Veronica Figueiredo
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Departamento de Imunobiologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: jlagrota@id.uff.br.
authors.forename: Jussara
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lagrota-Candido
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C491049:Aif1 protein, mouse; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors
keywords: Anxiety; Central nervous system; Cytokines; Leishmania amazonensis; Neurotrophic factors