Genetic variant strains of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis exhibit distinct biological behaviors

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 117; no. 10; pp. 3157 - 3168
• Main Authors: Rêgo, Felipe Dutra, da Rocha Lima, Ana Cristina Vianna Mariano, Pereira, Agnes Antônia Sampaio, Quaresma, Patrícia Flávia, Pascoal-Xavier, Marcelo Antônio, Shaw, Jeffrey Jon, Gontijo, Célia Maria Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-10-2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brazil - epidemiology; Cricetinae; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Genetic aspects; Genetic diversity; Genetic variation; Genetic Variation - genetics; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; Hsp70 protein; Humans; Immune response; Immunology; Inflammation; Leishmania; Leishmania braziliensis - classification; Leishmania braziliensis - genetics; Leishmania braziliensis - isolation & purification; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - epidemiology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - parasitology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - pathology; Male; Medical Microbiology; Mesocricetus - parasitology; Microbiology; Multivariate analysis; Observations; Original Paper; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Skin - parasitology; Skin - pathology; Skin diseases; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Biological behavior; Genetic variant; Leishmania braziliensis
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6014-4

A variety of clinical forms of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) caused by
Leishmania braziliensis
, as well as differing immune responses of patients, have been reported for an ACL focus in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In addition, two genetic profiles of
L. braziliensis
have been described, of which one variant profile (
hsp70
-variant) has been associated with atypical lesions. We investigated the biological behavior of genetic variant strains of
L. braziliensis
isolated from patients with different clinical manifestations of ACL. Experimental infections were performed with golden hamsters for five
L. braziliensis
strains in standardized doses of 1 × 10
6
parasites per inocula. The characteristics of skin lesions, histopathological features, and parasite burden were independently analyzed at 30 and 60 days post-infection. The data revealed distinct patterns in the onset time of visible skin lesions as well as in lesion size and parasite burden among the strains. The extent and density of the inflammatory infiltrate differed among strains, although cellular composition of granulomas appeared similar. Multivariate analysis indicated the occurrence of two clusters: one comprising native strains (cluster 1) and one comprising the reference strain (cluster 2). Within cluster 1, the genetic variants of
L. braziliensis
did not group with the non-variant strain suggesting that the distinct patterns of biological behavior of these strains could be associated with the known genetic diversity previously described for them.