Constitutive nitric oxide synthase-like enzyme in two species involved in cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis

Leishmania is an obligate intracellular parasite that primarily inhabits macrophages. The destruction of the parasite in the host cell is a fundamental mechanism for infection control. In addition, inhibition of the leishmanicidal activity of macrophages seems to be related to the ability of some sp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Parasitology international Vol. 83; p. 102347
Main Authors:	Furtado, Rodrigo R., Soares, Dara C., Prado, Alejandro F., Farias, Luis H.S., Da Silva, Bruno J.M., Rodrigues, Ana P.D., Silva, Edilene O.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-08-2021
Subjects:	cNOS-like, nitric oxide Glycosome Leishmania (L.) amazonensis Leishmania (V.) braziliensis Glycosome Leishmania (L.) amazonensis Leishmania (V.) braziliensis cNOS-like, nitric oxide
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Summary:	Leishmania is an obligate intracellular parasite that primarily inhabits macrophages. The destruction of the parasite in the host cell is a fundamental mechanism for infection control. In addition, inhibition of the leishmanicidal activity of macrophages seems to be related to the ability of some species to inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) by depleting arginine. Some species of Leishmania have the ability to produce NO from a constitutive nitric oxide synthase-like enzyme (cNOS-like). However, the localization of cNOS-like in Leishmania has not been described before. As such, this study was designed to locate cNOS-like enzyme and NO production in promastigotes of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. NO production was initially quantified by flow cytometry, which indicated a significant difference in NO production between L. (L.) amazonensis (GMFC = 92.17 +/− 4.6) and L. (V.) braziliensis (GMFC = 18.89 +/− 2.29) (P < 0.05). Analysis of cNOS expression by immunoblotting showed more expression in L. (L.) amazonensis versus L. (V.) braziliensis. Subsequently, cNOS-like immunolabeling was observed in promastigotes in regions near vesicles, the flagellar pocket and mitochondria, and small clusters of particles appeared to be fusing with vesicles suggestive of glycosomes, peroxisome-like-organelles that compartmentalize the glycolytic pathway in trypanosomatid parasites. In addition, confocal microscopy analysis demonstrated colocalization of cNOS-like and GAPDH, a specific marker for glycosomes. Thus, L. (L.) amazonensis produces greater amounts of NO than L. (V.) braziliensis, and both species present the cNOS-like enzyme inside glycosomes. [Display omitted] •cNOS-like enzyme was detected in the promastigotes of L. (Leishmania) amazonensis and L. (Viannia) braziliensis.•Leishmania (L.) amazonensis produced significantly higher levels of NO than Leishmania (V.) braziliensis.•cNOS-like enzyme and GAPDH were located inside the glycosomes.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1383-5769 1873-0329
DOI:	10.1016/j.parint.2021.102347