As leishmanioses são doenças parasitárias causadas por protozoários do gênero Leishmania e são importante problema de saúde pública. A leishmaniose cutânea americana é considerada doença autóctone do continente americano e se apresenta com diversas formas clínicas, que dependem da espécie que causa a infecção e de outros fatores como virulência e capacidade de evasão do sistema immune. São reconhecidas seis espécies de Leishmania que causam casos humanos de LCA no Brasil, destas, cinco pertencem ao subgênero Viannia e uma ao subgênero Leishmania. Elas são: Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni, Leishmania (Viannia) shawi, Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi e a Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. A transmissão da leishmaniose cutânea se mantém na região do Pontal da Paranapanema, com 20 casos notificados em 2006. A Leishmania (V.) braziliensis é a única espécie considerada como agente da doença na região, com identificação dos vetores envolvidos e de possíveis reservatórios silvestres. O objetivo do trabalho é o estudo dos aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e histopatológicos da leishmaniose cutânea no Pontal do Paranapanema e a identificação, por métodos moleculares, PCR, do agente etiológico e a caracterização do gênero, subgênero e a espécie de Leishmania presentes na região. A doença foi encontrada em ambos os sexos, predominando no sexo masculino (67,9%), em todas as faixas etárias, mas 70,5% estavam na faixa de 20 a 49 anos de idade. A forma clínica mais encontrada foi a cutânea, com 92,3% dos casos. A pesquisa de parasita na lesão em 78 pacientes que realizaram biópsias foi positiva em 40 amostras (51.3%), em lâminas coradas pela HE; quando se utilizou a IH foi 66,7%. O índice de concordância entre as técnicas da HE e IH foi de 58,97%. Entretanto, 10 casos negativos na IH foram positivos na HE, e de 38 casos negativos na HE, 22 foram positivos na IH. Isto mostra que há necessidade de associação dos dois métodos. A positividade na PCR foi de 53,8%. Avaliando-se os resultados obtidos nesse estudo, podemos verificar que dos 40 casos positivos pela HE, 24 também foram positivos pela PCR; porém, 16 destes, foram negativos pela PCR. Em contrapartida, das 38 amostras negativas na HE, 18 delas foram positivas pela PCR. Pela imunohistoquímica, do total de 26 amostras negativas, apenas 12 permaneceram negativas e 14 foram positivas na PCR; enquanto que, das 52 amostras positivas pela IH, 28 foram positivas e 24 negativas pela PCR. Os níveis de concordância da PCR com HE foram de 56,41% e da PCR com IH de 51,28%. Esses resultados reforçam a idéia da necessidade de se associar os três métodos para o diagnóstico da LC. As características das lesões histopatológicas foram: reação granulomatosa (RG) encontradas em 71,85%, reação granulomatosa com células gigantes (RGCG) em 12,8%, reação granulomatosa com necrose (RGN) em 10,3% e reação granulomatosa com necrose e células gigantes (RGNCG) em 5,1% dos casos. Utilizando-se os primers SSU rDNA S17/S18, foi possível caracterizar, através do seqüenciamento, 27 (34,6%) amostras como sendo do subgênero Viannia e 06 amostras como L. (L.) amazonensis. Este estudo identificou o primeiro caso de L. (L.) amazonensis na região / Leishmaniasis are parasitic diseases caused by protozoans of the Leishmania genus and are important public health problems. American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is considered an autochthonous disease of the American continent and presents several clinical forms which depend on the causative species of the infection and other factors such as virulence and ability to evade the immune system. Six Leishmania species are recognized to cause human ACL cases in Brazil of which five belong to the Viannia and one to the Leishmania subspecies. They are: Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni, Leishmania (Viannia) shawi, Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. Cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission is maintained in the Pontal do Paranapanema region, with 20 notified cases in 2006. Leishmania (V.) braziliensis is the only species considered to be the disease agent in the region with identification of the involved vectors and possible wild reservoirs. The aim of this research is the studies of the epidemiological, clinical and histopathological aspects of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Pontal do Paranapanema and the identification by molecular methods, PCR, of the etiologic agent and characterization of the Leishmania genus, subgenus and species present in the region. The disease was found in both genders, with predominance of males (67.9%), in all age ranges, but 70.5% were in the range of 20 to 49 years. The cutaneous was the mostly found clinical form with 92.3% of the cases. Search for the parasite in the lesion of 78 patients who underwent biopsies was positive in 40 samples (51.5%), in HE stained slides; when IH was used, 66.7% were positive. Agreement index between the HE and IH techniques were 58.97%. However, 10 negative cases using IH were positive with HE, and of 38 HE negative cases 22 were positive using IH. This shows that association of the two methods is needed. Using PCR, there was a positivity of 53.8%. Evaluating the results obtained in this study, we may observe that of the 40 HE positive cases 24 were also positive on PCR; but 16 of these were PCR negative. Contrariwise, of the 38 HE negative samples 18 were positive PCR. Using immunohistochemistry, of the total of 38 HE negative samples, 18 were positive with PCR; while of the 52 IH positive samples, 28 were positive and 24 negative on PCR. Agreement levels of PCR with HE were 56.41%, and of PCR with IH 51.28%. These results reinforce the idea of the need for association of the three methods for CL diagnosis. Histopathological lesion characteristics were: granulomatous reaction (GR) found in 71.85%, granulomatous reaction with giant cells (GRGC) in 12.8T, granulomatous reaction with necrosis (GRN) in 10.3% and granuloma with necrosis and giant cells (GRNGC) in 5.1% of the cases. Using SSU rDNAS 17/S18 primers it was possible to characterize through sequencing 27 (34.6%) samples as being of the Viannia subgenus and 06 samples of the L. (L.).amazonensis This study identified the first L. (L.) amazonensis case in the region

Este estudo avaliou a imunidade humoral e celular em cães naturalmente infectados com L. (L.) chagasi correlacionando com a transmissibilidade para o vetor. Soros e biópsias de baço, linfonodo e pele foram coletados de 120 cães provenientes do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses do município de Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil. Os soros foram processados por ELISA para detecção de IgG, IgG1, IgG2 e IgE; e as biópsias foram processadas por técnicas histológicas usuais coradas pelo HE e imunoistoquímica para a detecção de parasito, macrófago e células T CD3. De acordo com os sinais clínicos, 65/120 (54%) cães foram classificados como sintomáticos e 55/120 (46%) como assintomáticos. O diagnóstico parasitológico foi confirmado em 71% dos sintomáticos e em 40% dos assintomáticos. A correlação dos sinais clínicos com parasitismo mostrou que a carga parasitária estava diretamente associada com cães sintomáticos (p<0.05). Em relação aos anticorpos específicos anti-L.(L.)chagasi, cães de área endêmica com diagnóstico parasitológico positivo mostraram maiores níveis de IgG total comparado com ambos os controles (p<0.05), sem diferença entre cães sintomáticos e assintomáticos. IgG1 esteve presente em baixos níveis e foi mais intensa no grupo sintomático parasito-positivo (p<0.05). Níveis mais elevados foram observados para IgG2 em cães de área endêmica (p<0.05), mas sem correlação com o parasitismo e sinais clínicos. IgE também esteve presente em baixos níveis, mas mostrou diferenças entre cães de área endêmica e cães de área não endêmica; e cães com diagnóstico parasitológico positivo mostrou níveis mais elevados que cães com diagnóstico parasitológico negativo (p<0.05). Histopatologicamente, linfonodos mostraram hiperplasia e hipertrofia de macrófagos na área medular e em muitos casos linfadenite granulomatosa. Na polpa branca do baço, hiperplasia folicular foi observada; e a polpa vermelha mostrou granulomas. As lesões de pele foram caracterizadas por infiltrado inflamatório crônico na derme formado por macrófagos, linfócitos e plasmócitos; variando de discreto a intenso, assim como de focal a difuso. Foi evidente a presença de granulomas epitelióides na pele de alguns animais. Imunoistoquímica mostrou presença de células marcadas pelo anticorpo anti-macrófago e anti-CD3 em 100% dos baços e linfonodos variando de intensidade entre discreto e intenso. Na pele, macrófagos foram positivos em 90% e células CD3 em 39% dos casos. Houve associação direta entre baixa expressão de células CD3 e alto parasitismo na pele. Animais assintomáticos mostraram baixa expressão de macrófagos junto com baixo parasitismo na pele. Em relação ao xenodiagnóstico, no 4o dia depois da alimentação, as fêmeas dos vetores foram dissecadas e examinadas para observação de parasitos no intestino. Formas promastigotas foram observadas em 27% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães sintomáticos e em 42% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães assintomáticos. A técnica da PCR foi também utilizada para avaliar as fêmeas positivas depois do xenodiagnóstico. DNA de Leishmania foi detectado em 24% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães sintomáticos e em 34% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães assintomáticos. Os dados mostraram que a imunidade humoral e celular não teve correlação direta com as formas clínicas de leishmaniose canina. A alta porcentagem de vetores infectados na alimentação em cães assintomáticos mostra a importância destes animais na transmissibilidade para o vetor. / These studies evaluate humoral and cellular immunity in dogs naturally infected with L. (L.) chagasi correlating to the transmissibility to the vector. Serum and biopsy from spleen, lymph node and skin were collected from 120 dogs referred to the Center of Zoonosis Control of Araçatuba city, São Paulo, Brazil. The sera were processed by ELISA for IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgE detection; and the biopsies were processed usual histological techniques stained by HE and immunohistochemistry for parasite, macrophage and T CD3 cells detection. According to the clinical signs, 65/120 (54%) dogs were classified as symptomatic and 55/120 (46%) as asymptomatic. Parasitological diagnosis was confirmed in 71% of symptomatic and in 40% of asymptomatic dogs. The correlation of clinical signs and parasitism showed that parasite burden was directly associated with symptomatic dogs (p<0.05). Concerning to L.(L.)chagasi-specific antibodies, dogs from the endemic area with positive parasitological diagnosis showed high levels of total IgG compared to both controls (p<0.05), without difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. IgG1 was present at low levels and was more intense in the parasite-positive symptomatic group (p<0.05). More elevated levels were observed for IgG2 in dogs from endemic area (p<0.05), but with no correlation to parasitism and clinical signs. IgE was also present at low levels, but showed differences between dogs from non-endemic and endemic areas; and dogs with positive parasitological diagnosis showed higher levels than dogs with negative parasitological diagnosis (p<0.05). Histopathologically, lymph nodes showed macrophage hyperplasia and hypertrophy in the medullary area and in many cases granulomatous lymphadenitis. In the white pulp of the spleen, follicular hyperplasia was observed; and the red pulp showed granulomas. The skin lesions were characterized by dermal chronic inflammatory infiltrate formed by macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells; it varied between descreet to intense, as well as focal to diffuse. The epithelioid granulomas were evident in the skin of some animals. Immunohistochemistry showed presence of labeled cells by anti-macrophage and anti-CD3+ antibodies in 100% of spleen and lymph nodes varying the intensity between mild to intense. Macrophage was positive in 90% of the skin and CD3 cells in 39%. There was a direct association between lower CD3 cells expression and higher parasite burden in the skin. Asymptomatic animals showed lower macrophage expression together with lower parasitism in the skin. Concerning to the xenodiagnosis, on the 4th day after the blood meal, female flies were dissected and examined for visible parasites in the gut. Promastigotes forms were observed in 27% of female which fed in symptomatic dogs and in 42% of female which fed in asymptomatic dogs. PCR technique was also used to evaluate the positive females after the xenodiagnosis. Leishmania DNA was detected in 24% of female which fed in symptomatic dogs and in 34% of female which fed in asymptomatic dogs. The data showed that the humoral and cellular immune response not has direct correlation to the clinical form of canine leishmaniasis. The high percentage of sand flies female infected by feeding in the asymptomatic dogs show the importance these animals on the parasite transmissibility to the vector.

Iridoides são metabólitos secundários provenientes de angiospermas eudicotiledôneas, presentes principalmente em espécies das ordens Gentianales e Lamiales. Os iridoides dividem-se em carbocíclicos e seco-iridoides, ocorrendo comumente na forma glicosilada. Estes compostos são marcadores taxonômicos em algumas famílias vegetais e apresentam diversas atividades biológicas tais como cardiovascular, neuroprotetora e anti-Leishmania. Diante da importância dos iridoides, este trabalho teve como finalidade a prospecção química destes metabólitos em espécies nativas do Rio Grande Grande dos Sul, bem como a semissíntese de análogos e a investigação da atividade anti-Leishmania através de ensaios in vitro e modelagem molecular. Os compostos isolados foram identificados através de métodos espectroscópicos e os resultados comparados aos descritos na literatura. A partir de Escallonia bifida e Escallonia megapotamica (Escalloniaceae) foram isolados asperulosídeo, desacetilasperulosídeo, geniposídeo, ácido geniposídico e dafilosídeo, sendo que o asperulosídeo foi convertido em asperulosídeo tetraacetilado por meio de semissíntese. De Angelonia integerrima (Scrophulariaceae) foram obtidos galiridosídeo e antirrídeo. Nos experimentos in vitro para atividade anti-Leishmania, asperulosídeo, galiridosídeo, geniposídeo, ipolamida e teveridosídeo, nas concentrações 5-100 μM, não demonstraram inibição frente às formas promastigotas de Leishmania amazonensis. O estudo de modelagem molecular destes iridoides e daqueles descritos na literatura com atividade anti-Leishmania propôs um modelo farmacofórico que demonstrou que as diferenças estruturais não são responsáveis pela inatividade das moléculas isoladas neste trabalho. A perspectiva é realizar ensaios enzimáticos de tripanotiona redutase, bem com docking molecular e estudos de dinâmica molecular para investigar as interações entre grupamentos farmacofóricos das moléculas isoladas e o sítio de ligação de tripanotiona redutase. / Iridoids are secondary metabolites of eudicotyledonous angiosperms, present mainly in species of the orders Gentianales and Lamiales. The iridoids are divided into carbocyclic and seco-iridoids, occurring commonly in the glycosylated form. These compounds are taxonomic markers in same families of plants and have shown cardiovascular, neuroprotective and anti-Leishmania activities. In view of the importance of iridoids, this work aimed to the chemical prospection of these metabolites of native species of Rio Grande do Sul, as well as semi-synthesis of analogues and to investigate the anti-Leishmania activity through in vitro assays and molecular modeling. The isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods and the results compared to those described in literature. From Escallonia bifida and Escallonia megapotamica (Escalloniaceae) asperuloside, deacetylasperuloside, geniposide, geniposidic acid and daphyloside were isolated, being asperuloside developed in asperuloside tetraacetylated by means of semi- synthesis. From Angelonia integerrima (Scrophulariaceae) galiridoside and antirride were obtained. In the in vitro experiments for anti-Leishmania activity, asperuloside, galiridoside, geniposideo, ipolamiide and theveridoside in concentrations 5-100 μM, did not demonstrate inhibition in promastigote form of Leishmania amazonensis. The molecular modeling study of these iridoids and those described in the literature with anti-Leishmania activity proposed a pharmacophoric model that demonstrated that the structures are not responsible by the inactivity of the molecules isolated in this work. The prospect is to carry out enzymatic assays of trypanothione redutase as well as molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies to investigate the interactions between pharmacophoric grouping of the isolated molecules and the trypanothione reductase binding site.

Orientador: Valéria Marçal Félix de Lima / Resumo: A leishmaniose visceral canina (LV) no Brasil representa um grave problema de saúde pública. Na LV a supressão imune celular é determinante da progressão da doença. Estudos mostraram que a regulação da resposta imune depende de miRNAs. O objetivo deste estudo foi a caracterização dos miRNAs em leucócitos esplênicos (LE) de cães naturalmente infectados por L. infantum. Este estudo foi realizado em Araçatuba, região endêmica para LV canina (LVC). Um grupo de 4 cães saudáveis e 8 cães com LVC foi estudado. O RNA foi extraído do LE usando o Kit Mirvana (Invitrogen™) de acordo com as recomendações do fabricante. O RNA foi quantificado usando um fluorômetro (Qubit 3.0, Invitrogen™) o grau de pureza realizado por eletroforese capilar (Bioanalyser, Agilent ™), as amostras foram então armazenadas a -80°C. O miRNA foi preparado para o microarranjo usando o FlashTag Biotina HSR RNA Labeling Kit (Affymetrix ™). O microarranjo foi realizado usando o Affymetrix ™ miRNA 4.1 Strip de acordo com as recomendações do fabricante. A produção de cDNA foi realizada usando o kit miScript RT II (Qiagen™). Os miRNAs diferencialmente expressos foram validados por qPCR utilizando iniciadores para miRNAs de cães inventariados (Qiagen™) de acordo com recomendação do fabricante. Os miRNAs validados foram analisados no programa Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA, Qiagen™). Após a análise das vias, os LE de cães infectados foram transfectados com miR21 usando miScript miRNA Mimics e Inhibitor (Qiagen™) de acord... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil represents a serious public health problem. In VL cellular immune suppression is determinant of disease progression. Studies have shown that the regulation of the immune response depends on miRNAs. The objective of this study was the characterization of the miRNAs in spleen leukocytes (SL) from dogs naturally infected by L. infantum. This study was carried out in Araçatuba, an endemic region for canine LV (LVC). A group of 4 healthy dogs and 8 dogs with VL was studied. Total RNA was extracted from SL using Mirvana Kit (Invitrogen®) according to manufacturer’s recommendations Total RNA was quantified using a fluorometer (Qubit 3.0, Invitrogen®) the degree of purity performed by capillary electrophoresis (Bioanalyser, Agilent®), the samples were then stored at -80°C. Total RNA was prepared for the microarray using the FlashTag Biotin HSR RNA Labeling Kit (Affymetrix®). The microarray was performed using the Affymetrix ™ miRNA 4.1 Strip according to manufacturer’s recommendations. cDNA production was performed using the miScript RTII kit (Qiagen®). Differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by qPCR was performed using the inventoried dog miRNAs (Qiagen®) and SYBR Green (kit miScript SYBR Green PCR, Qiagen®), according to the manufacturer's recommendation. The validated miRNAs were analyzed in the program Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (Qiagen®). After analysis of the pathways, then the LS from infected dogs were transfected with miR21... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Este estudo avaliou a imunidade humoral e celular em cães naturalmente infectados com L. (L.) chagasi correlacionando com a transmissibilidade para o vetor. Soros e biópsias de baço, linfonodo e pele foram coletados de 120 cães provenientes do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses do município de Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil. Os soros foram processados por ELISA para detecção de IgG, IgG1, IgG2 e IgE; e as biópsias foram processadas por técnicas histológicas usuais coradas pelo HE e imunoistoquímica para a detecção de parasito, macrófago e células T CD3. De acordo com os sinais clínicos, 65/120 (54%) cães foram classificados como sintomáticos e 55/120 (46%) como assintomáticos. O diagnóstico parasitológico foi confirmado em 71% dos sintomáticos e em 40% dos assintomáticos. A correlação dos sinais clínicos com parasitismo mostrou que a carga parasitária estava diretamente associada com cães sintomáticos (p<0.05). Em relação aos anticorpos específicos anti-L.(L.)chagasi, cães de área endêmica com diagnóstico parasitológico positivo mostraram maiores níveis de IgG total comparado com ambos os controles (p<0.05), sem diferença entre cães sintomáticos e assintomáticos. IgG1 esteve presente em baixos níveis e foi mais intensa no grupo sintomático parasito-positivo (p<0.05). Níveis mais elevados foram observados para IgG2 em cães de área endêmica (p<0.05), mas sem correlação com o parasitismo e sinais clínicos. IgE também esteve presente em baixos níveis, mas mostrou diferenças entre cães de área endêmica e cães de área não endêmica; e cães com diagnóstico parasitológico positivo mostrou níveis mais elevados que cães com diagnóstico parasitológico negativo (p<0.05). Histopatologicamente, linfonodos mostraram hiperplasia e hipertrofia de macrófagos na área medular e em muitos casos linfadenite granulomatosa. Na polpa branca do baço, hiperplasia folicular foi observada; e a polpa vermelha mostrou granulomas. As lesões de pele foram caracterizadas por infiltrado inflamatório crônico na derme formado por macrófagos, linfócitos e plasmócitos; variando de discreto a intenso, assim como de focal a difuso. Foi evidente a presença de granulomas epitelióides na pele de alguns animais. Imunoistoquímica mostrou presença de células marcadas pelo anticorpo anti-macrófago e anti-CD3 em 100% dos baços e linfonodos variando de intensidade entre discreto e intenso. Na pele, macrófagos foram positivos em 90% e células CD3 em 39% dos casos. Houve associação direta entre baixa expressão de células CD3 e alto parasitismo na pele. Animais assintomáticos mostraram baixa expressão de macrófagos junto com baixo parasitismo na pele. Em relação ao xenodiagnóstico, no 4o dia depois da alimentação, as fêmeas dos vetores foram dissecadas e examinadas para observação de parasitos no intestino. Formas promastigotas foram observadas em 27% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães sintomáticos e em 42% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães assintomáticos. A técnica da PCR foi também utilizada para avaliar as fêmeas positivas depois do xenodiagnóstico. DNA de Leishmania foi detectado em 24% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães sintomáticos e em 34% das fêmeas que se alimentaram em cães assintomáticos. Os dados mostraram que a imunidade humoral e celular não teve correlação direta com as formas clínicas de leishmaniose canina. A alta porcentagem de vetores infectados na alimentação em cães assintomáticos mostra a importância destes animais na transmissibilidade para o vetor. / These studies evaluate humoral and cellular immunity in dogs naturally infected with L. (L.) chagasi correlating to the transmissibility to the vector. Serum and biopsy from spleen, lymph node and skin were collected from 120 dogs referred to the Center of Zoonosis Control of Araçatuba city, São Paulo, Brazil. The sera were processed by ELISA for IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgE detection; and the biopsies were processed usual histological techniques stained by HE and immunohistochemistry for parasite, macrophage and T CD3 cells detection. According to the clinical signs, 65/120 (54%) dogs were classified as symptomatic and 55/120 (46%) as asymptomatic. Parasitological diagnosis was confirmed in 71% of symptomatic and in 40% of asymptomatic dogs. The correlation of clinical signs and parasitism showed that parasite burden was directly associated with symptomatic dogs (p<0.05). Concerning to L.(L.)chagasi-specific antibodies, dogs from the endemic area with positive parasitological diagnosis showed high levels of total IgG compared to both controls (p<0.05), without difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. IgG1 was present at low levels and was more intense in the parasite-positive symptomatic group (p<0.05). More elevated levels were observed for IgG2 in dogs from endemic area (p<0.05), but with no correlation to parasitism and clinical signs. IgE was also present at low levels, but showed differences between dogs from non-endemic and endemic areas; and dogs with positive parasitological diagnosis showed higher levels than dogs with negative parasitological diagnosis (p<0.05). Histopathologically, lymph nodes showed macrophage hyperplasia and hypertrophy in the medullary area and in many cases granulomatous lymphadenitis. In the white pulp of the spleen, follicular hyperplasia was observed; and the red pulp showed granulomas. The skin lesions were characterized by dermal chronic inflammatory infiltrate formed by macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells; it varied between descreet to intense, as well as focal to diffuse. The epithelioid granulomas were evident in the skin of some animals. Immunohistochemistry showed presence of labeled cells by anti-macrophage and anti-CD3+ antibodies in 100% of spleen and lymph nodes varying the intensity between mild to intense. Macrophage was positive in 90% of the skin and CD3 cells in 39%. There was a direct association between lower CD3 cells expression and higher parasite burden in the skin. Asymptomatic animals showed lower macrophage expression together with lower parasitism in the skin. Concerning to the xenodiagnosis, on the 4th day after the blood meal, female flies were dissected and examined for visible parasites in the gut. Promastigotes forms were observed in 27% of female which fed in symptomatic dogs and in 42% of female which fed in asymptomatic dogs. PCR technique was also used to evaluate the positive females after the xenodiagnosis. Leishmania DNA was detected in 24% of female which fed in symptomatic dogs and in 34% of female which fed in asymptomatic dogs. The data showed that the humoral and cellular immune response not has direct correlation to the clinical form of canine leishmaniasis. The high percentage of sand flies female infected by feeding in the asymptomatic dogs show the importance these animals on the parasite transmissibility to the vector.

The obligate intracellular protozoan, Leishmania infantum chagasi (Lic) is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in South America. The flagellated promastigote life stage of the parasite undergoes receptor-mediated phagocytosis by macrophages. This process is followed by a transient delay in phagolysosome maturation that allows for conversion into the amastigotes, a stage that is resistant to degradation inside host cells. We hypothesized that events occurring early during parasite-host interaction influence whether the pathogen ultimately survives or is eliminated in the intracellular environment, and that these processes are facilitated by determinants from both the macrophage and the incoming Leishmania. We found differences in the pathway through which virulent Lic metacyclic promastigotes or avirulent logarithmic promastigotes are phagocytosed by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). The macrophage surface receptors that ligated the two forms of promastigotes differed, guiding metacyclic promastigotes into a compartment that supported their replication and logarithmic promastigotes into a vacuole that rapidly assembled its microbicidal machinery. Survival of metacyclic promastigotes following their phagocytosis also varied greatly on characteristics of the host macrophage. U937 cells, a model monocytic cell line lacking the third complement receptor (CR3) on their surface, took up parasites via a unique "coiling" mode of pseudopod extension, leading to a formation of a phagosome that did not fully mature. Since the parasites never demonstrated escape into the macrophage cytosol, it is logical to predict that they synthesize and release virulence factors that localize within the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in order to establish communication with the host cell. Using a previously assembled bioinformatic catalogue of putatively secreted or excreted (E/S) proteins encoded in the Leishmania infantum genome, we chose four candidate proteins for further analysis. Two of these, serine carboxypeptidase (CBP) and a flavodoxin domain-containing protein (HP) coding sequences, were overexpressed or removed in Lic. Parasites lacking one allele of either CBP or HP were defective in survival within MDMs. Furthermore, recombinant overexpressed HP was detected from parasite lysate in a stage-specific manner, paralleling expression in wild type Lic. This implies that the regulatory elements within the protein coding sequence remain functional outside of their native locus. Taken together, our study shows that quiescent entry of virulent Leishmania spp. into macrophages is accounted for by i) the ability of metacyclic promastigotes to selectively bypass macrophage components leading to deleterious pathways, as well as ii) tightly regulated parasite virulence factors for deliberately enhancing intracellular survival.

Leishmania species are vector-borne protozoan parasites that cause a spectrum of human diseases, with an estimated 12 million people infected in 88 countries. Inflammation plays distinct roles in the different clinical syndromes. Visceral leishmaniasis, in which parasites migrate from the site of infection and proliferate in liver and spleen, is accompanied by systemic immune suppression. Cutaneous leishmaniasis, where parasites remain at the site of inoculation and create a long-term ulcer, is associated with vigorous systemic immunity to the parasite. The innate immune sensing pathways responding to Leishmania spp. parasites are not fully described. NLR proteins are a class of structurally related cytosolic proteins. The most well described NLRs form inflammasome complexes that generate strong inflammatory responses to “danger” signals. Other NLRs do not form inflammasomes and have anti-inflammatory functions. While NLR proteins are known to be important in the immune response to many pathogens, the roles NLR proteins in leishmaniasis have only begun to be investigated. We hypothesized that NLR proteins affect the pathogenesis of leishmaniasis through their ability to modulate inflammatory responses. We hypothesized that inflammasome activation in cutaneous leishmaniasis would be detrimental, leading to greater disease pathology, and that the potential anti-inflammatory functions of the non-inflammasome NLRs, NLRP6, NLRP10, and NLRP12, would be protective, reducing tissue damage. In contrast, we hypothesized that in visceral leishmaniasis greater inflammation due to activation of the inflammasome would be protective and control parasite replication, while the anti-inflammatory NLRs would be permissive to parasite replication in the liver and spleen by contributing to the immunosuppressive strategy of the parasite. We used knockout mouse strains lacking the inflammasome adaptor protein ASC, and several non-inflammasome forming NLRs, to investigate NLR proteins in murine models of visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis. Our data showed that NLR proteins have important functions in visceral leishmaniasis, where they are essential for appropriate parasite homing and replication in the liver and spleen. In cutaneous leishmaniasis, we found that NLRP10 is essential for controlling inflammation in the skin, limiting lesion development and tissue damage at the site of infection. Taken together our findings show important functions for NLR proteins in leishmaniasis, influencing localized tissue specific inflammation, the adaptive immune responses, and clearance or long term residence of the parasite in the infected organs. This research underscores the importance of localized inflammation at the infection site to the pathogenesis and the course of leishmaniasis.

Trypanosomatids cause human diseases such as leishmaniasis and African trypanosomiasis. Trypanosomatids are protists from the order Trypanosomatida and include species of the genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania, which occupy a similar ecological niche. Both have digenic life-stages, alternating between an insect vector and a range of mammalian hosts. However, the strategies used to subvert the host immune system differ greatly as do the clinical outcome of infections between species. The genomes of both the host and the parasite instruct us about strategies the pathogens use to subvert the human immune system, and adaptations by the human host allowing us to better survive infections. We have applied unsupervised learning algorithms to aid visualization of amino acid sequence similarity and the potential for recombination events within Trypanosoma brucei's large repertoire of variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs). Methods developed here reveal five groups of VSGs within a single sequenced genome of T. brucei, indicating many likely recombination events occurring between VSGs of the same type, but not between those of different types. These tools and methods can be broadly applied to identify groups of non-coding regulatory sequences within other Trypanosomatid genomes. To aid in the detection, quantification, and species identification of leishmania DNA isolated from environmental or clinical specimens, we developed a set of quantitative-PCR primers and probes targeting a taxonomically and geographically broad spectrum of Leishmania species. This assay has been applied to DNA extracted from both human and canine hosts as well as the sand fly vector, demonstrating its flexibility and utility in a variety of research applications. Within the host genomes, fine mapping SNP analysis was performed to detect polymorphisms in a family study of subjects in a region of Northeast Brazil that is endemic for Leishmania infantum chagasi, the parasite causing visceral leishmaniasis. These studies identified associations between genetic loci and the development of visceral leishmaniasis, with a single polymorphism associated with an asymptomatic outcome after infection. The methods and results presented here have capitalized on the large amount of genomics data becoming available that will improve our understanding of both parasite and host genetics and their role in human disease.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Effective vaccination strategies are urgently needed because of the emergence of drug-resistant parasites and severe side effects of chemotherapy. The research group of Heidrun Moll previously established a DC-based vaccination strategy to induce complete and long-lasting immunity to experimental leishmaniasis using LmAg-loaded and CpG ODN-activated DC as a vaccine carrier. Prevention of tissue damages at the site of L. major inoculation can be achieved if the BALB/c mice were systemically given LmAg-loaded BMDC that had been exposed to CpG ODN. The interest in further exploring the role of IL-4 aroused as previous studies allowed establishing that IL-4 was involved in the redirection of the immune response towards a type 1 profile. Thus, wt BALB/c mice or DC-specific CD11ccreIL-4Rα-/lox BALB/c mice were given either wt or IL-4Rα-deficient LmAg-loaded BMDC exposed or not to CpG ODN prior to inoculation of 2 x 105 stationary phase L. major promastigotes into the BALB/c footpad. The results provide evidence that IL4/IL-4Rα-mediated signaling in the vaccinating DC is required to prevent tissue damages at the site of L. major inoculation, as properly conditioned wt DC but not IL-4Rα-deficient DC were able to confer resistance. Furthermore, uncontrolled L. major population size expansion was observed in the footpad and the footpad draining LN in CD11ccreIL-4Rα-/lox mice immunized with CpG ODN-exposed LmAg-loaded IL-4Rα-deficient DC, indicating the influence of IL-4R-mediated signaling in host DC to control parasite replication. In addition, no footpad damage was observed in BALB/c mice that were systemically immunized with LmAg-loaded wt DC doubly exposed to CpG ODN and recombinant IL-4. Discussing these findings allow the assumption that triggering the IL4/IL4Rα signaling pathway could be a precondition when designing vaccines aimed to prevent damaging processes in tissues hosting intracellular microorganisms. / Die kutane Leishmaniose ist vor allem in den tropischen und subtropischen Regionen endemisch. Die Notwendigkeit der Erforschung und Etablierung einer Impfstoffstrategie basiert auf dem Auftreten von starken Nebenwirkungen während einer medikamentösen Behandlung, als auch auf die Entwicklung von Resistenzen des Parasiten gegenüber herkömmlichen Behandlungsmethoden. Die Arbeitsgruppe um Heidrun Moll etablierte eine auf dendritischen Zellen (DZ) basierende Immunisierungsstrategie, welche langlebige Immunität gegen experimentelle Leishmaniose vermittelt. Dabei dienen CpG ODN-stimulierte DZ als Adjuvans für L.-major–Antigene (LmAg). Die durch Infektion mit Leishmania-Parasiten hervorgerufene Gewebeschädigung kann in BALB/c-Mäusen verhindert werden, vorausgesetzt eine systemische Verabreichung von LmAg-beladenen und CpG ODN-aktivierten DZ erfolgte eine Woche vor der Infektion. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass der Schutz durch die Induktion einer von Interleukin (IL)-12 und Interferon (IFN)-gamma dominierten T-Helfer (Th)1-Immunantwort herbeigeführt wurde und kranke Kontrollmäuse eine IL-4-dominierte Th2 Immunantwort aufwiesen. Mittlerweile zeigen zahlreiche Studien, dass IL-4 nicht ausschließlich eine krankheitsfördernde Funktion innehat, sondern auch die Fähigkeit zur Einleitung eine Typ-1-Immunantwort besitzt. Auf Grund dieser Studien wurde das Augenmerk auf die Rolle von IL-4 in der DZ-basierten Immunisierung gegen Leishmaniose in BALB/c Mäusen gelegt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Notwendigkeit der Stimulation der IL-4 Rezeptor alpha (IL-4Rα) Kette auf DZ, während einer DZ-basierten Immunisierung gegen Leishmaniose in BALB/c Mäusen gezeigt. Um dies zu erreichen, wurden Wildtyp (wt)-BALB/c-Mäuse oder DZ-spezifische CD11ccreIL-4Rα-/lox BALB/c Mäuse entweder mit wt oder IL-4Rα-defizienten LmAg-beladenen DZ mit oder ohne Aktivierung durch CpG ODN, eine Woche vor der Infektion mit 2x105 L. major Promastigoten in den Hinterfuß, immunisiert. Die in dieser Doktorarbeit gezeigten Ergebnisse lassen den Schluss zu, dass die Stimulation der IL-4Rα-Kette auf den als Adjuvans eingesetzten DZ erforderlich ist, um eine Gewebsschädigung an der Infektionsstelle zu verhindern, da konditionierte wt DZ, nicht aber IL-4Rα-defiziente DZ in der Lage sind, Schutz gegen Leishmaniose zu vermitteln. Des Weiteren konnte eine unkontrollierte Ausdehnung von Leishmania-Parasiten im infizierten Fuß und in den angrenzenden Lymphknoten von CD11ccreIL-4Rα-/lox Mäusen beobachtet werden, welche mit CpG ODN-aktivierten und LmAg-beladenen IL-4Rα-defizienten DZ immunisiert wurden. Dieser Befund zeigt den Einfluss der Stimulation der IL-4Rα-Kette auf wirtsansässigen DZ im Hinblick auf die Eindämmung der Parasitenreplikation und Parasitenverbreitung. Zusätzliche Analysen in BALB/c-Mäusen, welche mit LmAg-beladenen, CpG ODN- und rekombinanten IL-4-stimulierten DZ immunisiert wurden, zeigten einen resistenten klinischen Verlauf der Infektion. Die hier gezeigten Ergebnisse lassen die Vermutung zu, dass die durch die IL-4/IL-4Rα-Kette ausgelösten Signale in den DZ eine Grundvoraussetzung für eine erfolgreiche Immunisierung sind und sollten deswegen unbedingt bei der Entwicklung eines Impfstoffes gegen die gewebsschädigenden Folgen einer Leishmaniose oder anderer durch intrazelluläre Mikroorganismen verursachten Infektionen berücksichtigt werden.

La leishmaniosis visceral es una enfermedad parasitaria grave y a menudo mortal con una incidencia de unos 500 000 casos anuales. En la forma zoonótica (ZVL) causada por L. infantum, el perro es el principal reservorio doméstico del parásito. La identificación de los antígenos involucrados en la respuesta inmunitaria específica es necesaria para desarrollar nuevas estrategias diagnósticas y vacunales.El objetivo de esta tesis ha sido evaluar la utilidad de cuatro antígenos recombinantes de L. infantum rKMPII, rTRYP, rLACK y rpapLe22 en el control de la ZVL mediante su utilización en técnicas de diagnóstico y vacunación. Para ello, empleamos extractos crudos de larvas de Trichoplusia ni infectadas con baculovirus conteniendo las proteínas recombinantes sin purificar. Este sistema permite la obtención de grandes cantidades de proteína con la mayoría de modificaciones postraduccionales de los eucariotas y a bajo coste.El análisis de la respuesta humoral específica mostró que el 75% de los perros enfermos presentaba anticuerpos contra rKMPII, el 50% contra rTRYP y el 42% contra rLACK. Estos resultados demuestran que los tres antígenos, pero especialmente KMPII, son inmunógenos de las células B durante la CanL. La combinación de los ELISA de rKMPII, rTRYP y rLACK en paralelo para el diagnóstico de la CanL tuvo una sensibilidad del 93% y una especificidad del 97% no diferentes de las obtenidas con CTLA, demostrando así que los tres antígenos producidos en T. ni pueden ser utilizados para obtener una técnica sensible, específica, reproducible y de bajo coste para el diagnóstico de la CanL. La evaluación de la respuesta celular in vivo mediante DTH en una población de perros residentes en zona endémica mostró que el 27 % de los perros infectados presentaba una reacción DTH positiva contra rKMPII, el 50 % contra rTRYP, el 18 % contra rLACK y el 18 % contra rpapLe22. Estos resultados demuestran que los cuatro antígenos, pero especialmente TRYP, son capaces de estimular las células T durante la infección por L. infantum. La combinación de los resultados de las pruebas de DTH empleando rTRYP y rKMPII en paralelo consiguió un 78% tanto de sensibilidad como de especificidad, no diferente de la obtenida con LST, sugiriendo que ambos antígenos pueden ser componentes de una técnica de DTH para el diagnóstico de los perros infectados. La estrategia de vacunación DNA-proteína conteniendo los cuatro antígenos en hámsters indujo un aumento significativo en la producción de NO en los macrófagos infectados in vitro, así como una disminución de los niveles de anticuerpos contra el parásito post-infección. Asimismo, indujo una disminución significativa de la carga parasitaria en bazo (86%) y sangre (99%). Esta estrategia también redujo significativamente la aparición de ciertas alteraciones histopatológicas relacionadas con la enfermedad. La vacuna DNA-proteína fue capaz de incrementar la inmunogenicidad de la vacuna de DNA desnudo, que no consiguió inducir la producción de NO ni disminuir la parasitemia. La vacuna basada en proteínas recombinantes no fue protectora. Los resultados demuestran que la estrategia prime-boost con DNA desnudo y las proteínas recombinantes KMPII, TRYP, LACK y papLe22 producidas en T. ni puede ser una estrategia segura, efectiva y de bajo coste contra la ZVL, con una eficacia superior a la obtenida con proteínas recombinantes o con DNA desnudo utilizando los mismos antígenos. / Visceral leishmaniosis is a severe parasitic disease that is usually fatal if left untreated, which has an incidence of more than 500 000 new human cases each year. In zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) caused by Leishmania infantum, dogs are the main domestic reservoirs of the parasite. Identification of the antigens and components involved in Lesihmania-specific immune responses to improve diagnosis and vaccination is a research priority.Our objective has been to evaluate the utility of four evolutionarily conserved antigens of L. infantum KMPII, TRYP, LACK and papLe22 in ZVL control by using them in diagnostic and vaccine strategies. We used baculovirus-infected Trichoplusia ni larvae to obtain the raw protein extracts containing the recombinant Leishmania proteins. This is a eukaryotic system and generally allows the production of high quality proteins processed with most of the post-translational modifications.Recombinant KMPII was the most recognized antigen by dogs with clinical signs of leishmaniosis (CanL), with a 75% of seroprevalence. Seroprevalence against rTRYP and rLACK in dogs with CanL, was of 51% and 42%, respectively. The results demonstrate that KMPII, TRYP, and rLACK antigens are B-cell immunogens during CanL. When the three recombinant antigen-based ELISA techniques were evaluated in parallel, almost perfect agreement with CTLA-based ELISA was observed, with a specificity of 97% and a sensitivity of 93% in relation to CTLA-based ELISA, offering a sensitive, specific, reproducible and inexpensive diagnostic tool.rTRYP induced the highest number of positive DTH responses (50%) in infected dogs from an endemic area, suggesting its role as a T-cell immunogen during natural infection. In contrast, rKMPII (27%), rLACK (18%), and rpapLe22 (18%) induced a lower number of reactions, thus proving to be weak T-cell immunogens. When TRYP-DTH and KMPII-DTH tests were evaluated in parallel, 78% of LST-positive dogs were detected, not differing significantly from LST sensitivity. Our results suggest that TRYP antigen could be a promising vaccine candidate against CanL, and that both rTRYP and rKMPII could be considered as components of a standardized DTH immunodiagnostic tool for infected dogs without clinical signs.DNA-Protein vaccination in hamsters carrying the four antigens stimulated significant production of NO by macrophages before challenge and showed a decrease in the specific humoral response against the parasite upon in vivo challenge. A significant reduction in parasite loads was observed at 20 weeks post-infection, both in spleen (86 %) and in blood (99 %) when compared with controls. Moreover, this vaccine prevented certain histopathological alterations that have been related to disease. DNA-Protein vaccination enhanced the immunogenicity and protection achieved by the DNA vaccine, which could neither stimulate NO production nor reduce parasitaemia. Recombinant protein vaccine was not protective. The results suggest that a prime-boost strategy with DNA and T. ni-derived rKMPII, rTRYP, rLACK, and rpapLe22 proteins from L. infantum could be a safe, effective and low-cost measure for the control of ZVL, better than strategies based on DNA or protein alone with the same antigens.