Association of pro-inflammatory cytokines and iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) with Leishmania burden in canine visceral leishmaniasis

• Published in: PloS one 2013-10, Vol.8 (10), p.e73873-e73873
• Main Authors: do Nascimento, Paulo Ricardo Porfírio, Martins, Daniella Regina Arantes, Monteiro, Glória Regina Góis, Queiroz, Paula Vivianne, Freire-Neto, Francisco Paulo, Queiroz, José Wilton, Morais Lima, Adila Lorena, Jeronimo, Selma Maria Bezerra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Albumin; Animals; Cytokines; Dog Diseases - genetics; Dog Diseases - immunology; Dog Diseases - parasitology; Dogs; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Gene Expression; Host-Parasite Interactions; Immune response; Immune system; Infection; Infections; Inflammation; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Interleukin 10; Interleukin-10 - genetics; Interleukin-10 - immunology; Iron; Iron - immunology; Iron - metabolism; Iron regulatory protein; Iron Regulatory Protein 2 - genetics; Iron Regulatory Protein 2 - immunology; Leishmania; Leishmania infantum; Leishmania infantum - immunology; Leishmania infantum - pathogenicity; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - genetics; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - parasitology; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - veterinary; Male; Medical research; Parasite Load; Parasitic diseases; Proteins; Quartiles; Serum Albumin - immunology; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Severity of Illness Index; Spleen; Spleen - immunology; Spleen - parasitology; Spleen - pathology; Tropical diseases; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vector-borne diseases; Visceral leishmaniasis; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073873

Leishmania infantum infection in humans and dogs can evolve with a wide range of clinical presentations, varying from asymptomatic infections to visceral leishmaniasis. We hypothesized that the immune response elicited by L. infantum infection could modulate whether the host will remain asymptomatic or progress to disease. A total of 44 dogs naturally infected with L. infantum were studied. Leishmania burden was estimated in the blood and spleen by qPCR. The expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and Iron Regulatory Protein 2 (IRP2) were determined in the spleen by quantitative PCR. Sera cytokines were evaluated by ELISA. Dogs were grouped in quartiles according parasite burden. Increased expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α was associated with reduced Leishmania burden, whereas increased IL-10 and IRP2 expressions were associated with higher Leishmania load. Increased plasma albumin and IFN-γ expression explained 22.8% of the decrease in parasite burden in the spleen. These data confirm that lower IFN-γ response and higher IL-10 correlated with increased parasite load and severity of the visceral leishmaniasis in dogs. The balance between the branches of immune response and the intracellular iron availability could determine, in part, the course of Leishmania infection.