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Immune response induced by New World Leishmania species in C57BL/6 mice

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Abstract

In the present study, C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with metacyclic Leishmania amazonensis or L. braziliensis promastigotes. While these animals were capable of controlling the infection by L. braziliensis, they developed chronic lesions with elevated numbers of parasites when infected by L. amazonensis. The differences in parasite control were associated with a decreased production of IFN-γ and TNF by lymph node cells from L. amazonensis-infected mice. Furthermore, these animals presented decreased spleen cell proliferation and activation of germinal centers. In addition, we compared the ability of these parasites to hydrolyze extracellular ATP and AMP. While the ATPase activity of both parasite species was similar, L. amazonensis promastigotes presented higher AMP hydrolytic activity. This increased activity may lead to an increased production of adenosine, which has been shown to present anti-inflammatory activity and may thus be involved in the establishment of the immunosuppression observed in mice infected by L. amazonensis.

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Acknowledgements

This study received financial support from CAPES and was performed in accordance with Brazilian law.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, 35400-000, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Tatiani Uceli Maioli, Erica Takane, Juliana Lopes Rangel Fietto & Luís Carlos Crocco Afonso

  2. Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 486, 30161-970, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes

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  1. Tatiani Uceli Maioli
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  2. Erica Takane
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  3. Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes
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  4. Juliana Lopes Rangel Fietto
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  5. Luís Carlos Crocco Afonso
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Correspondence to Luís Carlos Crocco Afonso.

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Maioli, T.U., Takane, E., Arantes, R.M.E. et al. Immune response induced by New World Leishmania species in C57BL/6 mice. Parasitol Res 94, 207–212 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1193-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1193-6

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