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REQUEST: [ leishmania ]<br>
(19 articles match this request)<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17223963" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17223963</a>
<input name="id_17223963" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17223963" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Elevated levels of soluble non-classical major histocompatibility class I molecule human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-G in the blood of HIV-infected patients with or without visceral leishmaniasis.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: L Donaghy, F Gros, L Amiot, C Mary, A Maillard, C Guiguen, J-P Gangneux<br>
AFFILIATION: Inserm U522, Rennes, CHU de Rennes, France.<br>
REFERENCE: Clin Exp Immunol 2007 Feb 147(2):236-40<br>
The non-classical class I major histocompatibility complex molecules
human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-G have been shown to play a role in HIV
persistence, but no data are available on the expression of the soluble
forms HLA-G5 and sHLA-G1 in HIV-infected patients with and without
opportunistic infections. The soluble HLA-G isoform was measured with an
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in plasma from 94
subjects: 31 HIV-1-seropositive, 17 with visceral leishmaniasis (VL),
seven with both VL and HIV-1 infection and 39 healthy HIV-seronegative
subjects. Between groups, the frequency of sHLA-G positivity was
statistically different: 81% of HIV-infected patients were positive, as
were 57% of HIV-<b>Leishmania</b> infantum co-infected patients, 35% of HIV-
seronegative patients with VL and 3% of healthy controls. Levels of the
soluble forms of the immunomodulatory molecules HLA-G are elevated
during HIV infection. In HIV-<b>Leishmania</b> co-infected patients, sHLA-G
secretion could contribute to the tolerogenic environment and to
<b>Leishmania</b> immune evasion.<br>
<br><br>
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PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=16841091" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">16841091</a>
<input name="id_16841091" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16841091" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Apoptosis is induced in leishmanial cells by a novel protein kinase inhibitor withaferin A and is facilitated by apoptotic topoisomerase I-DNA complex.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: N Sen, B Banerjee, B B Das, A Ganguly, T Sen, S Pramanik, S Mukhopadhyay, H K Majumder<br>
AFFILIATION: 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja SC Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032, India.<br>
REFERENCE: Cell Death Differ 2007 Feb 14(2):358-67<br>
Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important constituent of the signaling
pathways involved in apoptosis. We report here that like staurosporine,
withaferin A is a potent inhibitor of PKC. In <b>Leishmania</b> donovani, the
inhibition of PKC by withaferin A causes depolarization of DeltaPsi(m)
and generates ROS inside cells. Loss of DeltaPsi(m) leads to the release
of cytochrome c into the cytosol and subsequently activates caspase-
like proteases and oligonucleosomal DNA cleavage. Moreover, in treated
cells, oxidative DNA lesions facilitate the stabilization of
topoisomerase I-mediated cleavable complexes, which also contribute to
DNA fragmentation. However, withaferin A and staurosporine cannot induce
cleavable complex formation in vitro with recombinant topoisomerase I
nor with nuclear extracts from control cells. Taken together, our
results indicate that inhibition of PKC by withaferin A is a central
event for the induction of apoptosis and that the stabilization of
topoisomerase I-DNA complex is necessary to amplify apoptotic process.
Cell Death and Differentiation (2007) 14, 358-367. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.
4402002; published online 14 July 2006.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17027989" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17027989</a>
<input name="id_17027989" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17027989" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">The <b>Leishmania
</b> donovani complex: Genotypes of five metabolic enzymes (ICD, ME, MPI, G6PDH, and FH), new targets for multilocus sequence typing.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Eva Zemanová, Milan Jirků, Isabel L Mauricio, Ales Horák, Michael A Miles, Julius Lukes<br>
AFFILIATION: Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Biology, University of South Bohemia, Ceské Budejovice, (Budweis), Czech Republic.<br>
REFERENCE: Int J Parasitol 2007 Feb 37(2):149-60<br>
Flagellates of the <b>Leishmania</b> donovani complex are causative agents of
human cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. The complex is comprised of
L. donovani, <b>Leishmania</b> infantum and <b>Leishmania</b> archibaldi, although the
latter is not now considered to be a valid species. Morphological
distinction of <b>Leishmania</b> species is impractical, so biochemical,
immunological and DNA-based criteria were introduced. Multilocus enzyme
electrophoresis (MLEE) is the present gold standard. We have sequenced
the genes encoding five metabolic enzymes used for MLEE, both to resolve
the DNA diversity underlying isoenzyme mobility differences and to
explore the potential of these targets for higher resolution PCR-based
multilocus sequence typing. The genes sequenced were isocitrate
dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, mannose phosphate isomerase, glucose-6-
phosphate dehydrogenase, and fumarate hydratase, for 17 strains of L.
infantum, seven strains of L. donovani, and three strains of L.
archibaldi. Protein mobilities predicted from amino acid sequences did
not always accord precisely with reported MLEE profiles. A high number
of heterozygous sites was detected. Heterozygosity was particularly
frequent in some strains and indirectly supported the presence of
genetic exchange in <b>Leishmania</b>. Phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated
alignment based on a total of 263kb protein-coding sequences showed
strong correlation of genotype with geographical origin. Europe and
Africa appear to represent independent evolutionary centres.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17107676" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17107676</a>
<input name="id_17107676" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17107676" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><b>Leishmania</b>
major metacaspase can replace yeast metacaspase in programmed cell death and has arginine-specific cysteine peptidase activity.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Iveth J González, Chantal Desponds, Cédric Schaff, Jeremy C Mottram, Nicolas Fasel<br>
AFFILIATION: Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, 155 Chemin des Boveresses, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.<br>
REFERENCE: Int J Parasitol 2007 Feb 37(2):161-72<br>
The human protozoan parasite <b>Leishmania</b> major has been shown to exhibit
several morphological and biochemical features characteristic of a cell
death program when differentiating into infectious stages and under a
variety of stress conditions. Although some caspase-like peptidase
activity has been reported in dying parasites, no caspase gene is
present in the genome. However, a single metacaspase gene is present in
L. major whose encoded protein harbors the predicted secondary structure
and the catalytic dyad histidine/cysteine described for caspases and
other metacaspases identified in plants and yeast. The Saccharomyces
cerevisiae metacaspase YCA1 has been implicated in the death of aging
cells, cells defective in some biological functions, and cells exposed
to different environmental stresses. In this study, we describe the
functional heterologous complementation of a S. cerevisiae yca1 null
mutant with the L. major metacaspase (LmjMCA) in cell death induced by
oxidative stress. We show that LmjMCA is involved in yeast cell death,
similar to YCA1, and that this function depends on its catalytic
activity. LmjMCA was found to be auto-processed as occurs for caspases,
however LmjMCA did not exhibit any activity with caspase substrates. In
contrast and similarly to Arabidopsis thaliana metacaspases, LmjMCA was
active towards substrates with arginine in the P1 position, with the
activity being abolished following H147A and C202A catalytic site
mutations. These results suggest that metacaspases are members of a
family of peptidases with a role in cell death conserved in evolution
notwithstanding possible differences in their catalytic activity.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17178178" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17178178</a>
<input name="id_17178178" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17178178" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Immunogenicity of the P-8 amastigote antigen in the experimental model of canine visceral leishmaniasis.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: E Carrillo, S Ahmed, K Goldsmith-Pestana, J Nieto, Y Osorio, B Travi, J Moreno, D McMahon-Pratt<br>
AFFILIATION: WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo km. 2, 28220 Madrid, Spain.<br>
REFERENCE: Vaccine 2007 Feb 25(8):1534-43<br>
The P-8 proteoglycolipid complex (P-8 PGLC), an amastigote antigen of
<b>Leishmania</b> pifanoi, has been demonstrated to induce protection in mouse
models, as well as to induce Tc1/Th1-like cellular responses in American
cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. Because the immunization with P-8
PGLC in the murine model does not appear to be genetically restricted,
we have studied the reactivity of the P-8 PGLC in <b>Leishmania</b> infantum
infected dogs. In this study, it is shown that PBMC from experimentally
infected dogs (asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic) significantly
proliferated in response to soluble leishmanial antigen (SLA) or the P-8
PGLC. Further, quantification of the gene expression induced by the
stimulation with P-8 in asymptomatically infected dogs showed an up-
regulation of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, which were three to 4-fold higher
than that induced by soluble <b>Leishmania</b> antigen (SLA). While no
measurable induction of IL-10 was observed, low levels of IL-4 mRNA were
observed in response to both P-8 and SLA antigens. Thus, our studies
establish that P-8 is recognized by infected canines and elicits a
potentially curative/protective Th1-like immune response. The
identification of <b>Leishmania</b> antigens that elicit appropriate immune
responses across different host species (humans, canine) and disease
manifestations (cutaneous or visceral) could be an advantage in
generating a general vaccine for leishmaniasis.<br>
<br><br>
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PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17233673" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17233673</a>
<input name="id_17233673" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17233673" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Identification of New World
<b>Leishmania</b> species from Peru by biochemical techniques and multiplex PCR assay.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Isabel RodrÃguez-González, Clotilde MarÃn, Silvia S Longoni, Hector Mateo, José M Alunda, Gloria Minaya, Ramón Gutiérrez-Sánchez, Franklin Vargas, Manuel Sánchez-Moreno<br>
AFFILIATION: Instituto de BiotecnologÃa, Departamento de ParasitologÃa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.<br>
REFERENCE: FEMS Microbiol Lett 2007 Feb 267(1):9-16<br>
We have characterized diverse strains or species of <b>Leishmania</b> isolated
in humans that are currently circulating throughout Peru, by means of
isoenzymatic characterization, kDNA analysis by restriction enzymes, and
multiplex PCR assay. The cluster analysis gave five groups. Cluster 1
includes L. (L.) donovani together with the isolates LP4 and LP7,
forming the donovani complex. Thus, this complex corresponds to the New
World visceral form, L. (L.) chagasi. Cluster 2 is formed by the
isolates LP1-LP3, LP6, LP10, LP9, and LP11, phylogenetically
intermediate between Cluster 1 and Cluster 3, or they can be treated as
hybrids. Cluster 3 is divided into two subgroups: one formed by L. (V.)
peruviana, together with the isolates LP14 and LP5, and the second one
formed by L. (V.) brazilensis and the isolate LP8. These two subgroups
form part of the brazilensis complex. The three strains of L. (L.)
infantum [L. (L.) infantum I and II and la LSI] make up Cluster 4. In
Cluster 5, we include the three Mexican strains (LM1-LM3) forming one
subgroup while we would place L. (L.) amazonensis in another subgroup.
These two subgroups would comprise the complex mexicana.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=16797076" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">16797076</a>
<input name="id_16797076" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16797076" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Laryngeal leishmaniasis in Malta.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: C Fsadni, P Fsadni, T Piscopo, C Mallia Azzopardi<br>
AFFILIATION: Infectious Diseases Unit (STZ), St. Luke's Hospital, Gwardamangia, Malta. <a href="mailto:claudia_7@excite.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">claudia_7@excite.com
</a><br>
REFERENCE: J Infect 2007 Feb 54(2):e61-3<br>
The localization of <b>Leishmania</b> spp. in the larynx is rare especially
when not associated with immunosuppression or with visceral or cutaneous
leishmaniasis. We present a case of isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis,
the first of its kind documented in Malta and infrequently reported from
the Mediterranean basin.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17126422" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17126422</a>
<input name="id_17126422" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17126422" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Analysis of telomere length variation in
<b>Leishmania</b> over time.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Paul-André Genest, Piet Borst<br>
AFFILIATION: The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Divison of Molecular Biology and Centre of Biomedical Genetics, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.<br>
REFERENCE: Mol Biochem Parasitol 2007 Feb 151(2):213-5<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=16889626" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">16889626</a>
<input name="id_16889626" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16889626" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><b>Leishmania</b>
promastigotes activate PI3K/Akt signalling to confer host cell resistance to apoptosis.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Aaron Ruhland, Nicole Leal, Peter E Kima<br>
AFFILIATION: Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 326111, USA.<br>
REFERENCE: Cell Microbiol 2007 Jan 9(1):84-96<br>
Previous reports have shown that cells infected with promastigotes of
some <b>Leishmania</b> species are resistant to the induction of apoptosis.
This would suggest that either parasites elaborate factors that block
signalling from apoptosis inducers or that parasites engage endogenous
host signalling pathways that block apoptosis. To investigate the latter
scenario, we determined whether <b>Leishmania</b> infection results in the
activation of signalling pathways that have been shown to mediate
resistance to apoptosis in other infection models. First, we showed that
infection with the promastigote form of <b>Leishmania</b> major, <b>Leishmania</b>
pifanoi and <b>Leishmania</b> amazonensis activates signalling through p38
mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), NFkappaB and PI3K/Akt. Then we
found that inhibition of signalling through the PI3K/Akt pathway with
LY294002 and Akt IV inhibitor reversed resistance of infected bone
marrow-derived macrophages and RAW 264.7 macrophages to potent inducers
of apoptosis. Moreover, reduction of Akt levels with small interfering
RNAs to Akt resulted in the inability of infected macrophages to resist
apoptosis. Further evidence of the role of PI3K/Akt signalling in the
promotion of cell survival by infected cells was obtained with the
finding that Bad, which is a substrate of Akt, becomes phosphorylated
during the course of infection. In contrast to the observations with
PI3K/Akt signalling, inhibition of p38 MAPK signalling with SB202190 or
NFkappaB signalling with wedelolactone had limited effect on parasite-
induced resistance to apoptosis. We conclude that <b>Leishmania</b>
promastigotes engage PI3K/Akt signalling, which confers to the infected
cell, the capacity to resist death from activators of apoptosis.<br>
<br><br>
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PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17222179" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17222179</a>
<input name="id_17222179" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17222179" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><b>Leishmania</b>
donovani bisubunit topoisomerase I gene fusion leads to an active enzyme with conserved type IB enzyme function.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Benu B Das, Somdeb Bose Dasgupta, Agneyo Ganguly, Saumyabrata Mazumder, Amit Roy, Hemanta K Majumder<br>
AFFILIATION: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India.<br>
REFERENCE: FEBS J 2007 Jan 274(1):150-63<br>
All eukaryotic topoisomerase I enzymes are monomeric enzymes, whereas
the kinetoplastid family (Trypanosoma and <b>Leishmania</b>) possess an unusual
bisubunit topoisomerase I. To determine what happens to the enzyme
architecture and catalytic property if the two subunits are fused, and
to explore the functional relationship between the two subunits, we
describe here in vitro gene fusion of <b>Leishmania</b> bisubunit topoisomerase
I into a single ORF encoding a new monomeric topoisomerase I (LdTOPIL-
fus-S). It was found that LdTOPIL-fus-S is active. Gene fusion leads to
a significant modulation of in vitro topoisomerase I activity compared
to the wild-type heterodimeric enzyme (LdTOPILS). Interestingly, an N-
terminal truncation mutant (1-210 amino acids) of the small subunit,
when fused to the intact large subunit [LdTOPIL-fus-Delta(1-210)S],
showed reduced topoisomerase I activity and camptothecin sensitivity in
comparison to LdTOPIL-fus-S. Investigation of the reduction in enzyme
activity indicated that the nonconserved 1-210 residues of LdTOPIS
probably act as a 'pseudolinker' domain between the core and catalytic
domain of the fused <b>Leishmania</b> enzyme, whereas mutational analysis of
conserved His453 in the core DNA-binding domain (LdTOPIL) strongly
suggested that its role is to stabilize the enzyme-DNA transition state
through hydrogen bonding to one of the nonbridging oxygens. Taken
together, our findings provide an insight into the details of the
unusual structure of bisubunit topoisomerase I of <b>Leishmania</b> donovani.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17222186" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17222186</a>
<input name="id_17222186" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17222186" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Elongation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in trypanosomatids.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: Verónica I Livore, Karina E J Tripodi, Antonio D Uttaro<br>
AFFILIATION: Instituto de BiologÃa Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Departamento de MicrobiologÃa, Facultad de Ciencias BioquÃmicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
<br>
REFERENCE: FEBS J 2007 Jan 274(1):264-74<br>
<b>Leishmania</b> major synthesizes polyunsaturated fatty acids by using Delta6
, Delta5 and Delta4 front-end desaturases, which have recently been
characterized [Tripodi KE, Buttigliero LV, Altabe SG & Uttaro AD (
2006) FEBS J273, 271-280], and two predicted elongases specific for C18
Delta6 and C20 Delta5 polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively.
Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi lack Delta6 and Delta5
desaturases but contain Delta4 desaturases, implying that trypanosomes
use exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids to produce C22 Delta4 fatty
acids. In order to identify putative precursors of these C22 fatty acids
and to completely describe the pathways for polyunsaturated fatty acid
biosynthesis in trypanosomatids, we have performed a search in the three
genomes and identified four different elongase genes in T. brucei, five
in T. cruzi and 14 in L. major. After a phylogenetic analysis of the
encoded proteins together with elongases from a variety of other
organisms, we selected four candidate polyunsaturated fatty acid
elongases. <b>Leishmania</b> major CAJ02037, T. brucei AAX69821 and T. cruzi
XP_808770 share 57-52% identity, and group together with C20 Delta5
polyunsaturated fatty acid elongases from algae. The predicted activity
was corroborated by functional characterization after expression in
yeast. T. brucei elongase was also able to elongate Delta8 and Delta11
C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. L. major CAJ08636, which shares 33%
identity with Mortierella alpinaDelta6 elongase, showed a high
specificity for C18 Delta6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In all cases, a
preference for n6 polyunsaturated fatty acids was observed. This
indicates that L. major has, as predicted, Delta6 and Delta5 elongases
and a complete pathway for polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis.
Trypanosomes contain only Delta5 elongases, which, together with Delta4
desaturases, allow them to use eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic
acid, a precursor that is relatively abundant in the host, for C22
polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17182338" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17182338</a>
<input name="id_17182338" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17182338" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Oral miltefosine to treat new world cutaneous leishmaniasis.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: Jaime Soto, Julia T Toledo<br>
REFERENCE: Lancet Infect Dis 2007 Jan 7(1):7<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17118349" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17118349</a>
<input name="id_17118349" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17118349" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Acute cysticercosis favours rapid and more severe lesions caused by
<b>Leishmania</b> major and <b>Leishmania</b> mexicana infection, a role for alternatively activated macrophages.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Miriam RodrÃguez-Sosa, Irma Rivera-Montoya, Arlett Espinoza, Miriam Romero-Grijalva, Roberto López-Flores, Jorge González, Luis I Terrazas<br>
AFFILIATION: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Unidad de Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.<br>
REFERENCE: Cell Immunol 2006 Aug 242(2):61-71<br>
Parasitic helminths have developed complex mechanisms to modulate host
immunity. In the present study we found that previous infection of mice
with the cestode Taenia crassiceps favours parasitemia and induces
larger cutaneous lesions during both <b>Leishmania</b> major and <b>Leishmania</b>
mexicana co-infections. Analysis of cytokine responses into draining
lymph nodes indicated that co-infection of T. crassiceps-<b>Leishmania</b> did
not inhibit IFN-gamma production in response to <b>Leishmania</b> antigens, but
significantly increased IL-4 production. Additionally, anti-<b>Leishmania</b>-
specific IgG1 antibodies and total IgE increased in co-infected mice,
whereas, IgG2a titers remained similar. Macrophages from Taenia-infected
mice displayed increased mRNA transcripts of arginase-1, Ym1, and
Mannose Receptor, as well as greater production of urea (all markers for
an alternate activation state) compared to macrophages from <b>Leishmania</b>-
infected mice. In contrast, lower mRNA transcripts for IL-12p35, IL-
12p40, IL-23p19, and iNOS were detected in macrophages obtained from
cestode-infected mice compared to uninfected and <b>Leishmania</b>-infected
mice after LPS stimulation. The presence of cestode also generated
impaired macrophage anti-leishmanicidal activity in vitro, as evidenced
by the inability of these macrophages to prevent <b>Leishmania</b> growth
compared to macrophages from uninfected mice. This was observed despite
the fact that both groups of cells were exposed to IFN-gamma. Flow
cytometry showed high IFN-gammaR expression on Taenia-induced
macrophages. Thus, lack of response to IFN-gamma is not associated with
the absence of its receptor. Our data suggest that cestode infection may
favour <b>Leishmania</b> installation by inducing alternatively activated
macrophages rather than inhibiting Th1-type responses.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=16951815" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">16951815</a>
<input name="id_16951815" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16951815" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Polymerase chain reaction with lesion scrapping for the diagnosis of human American tegumentary leishmaniasis.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: Eneide Aparecida Sabaini Venazzi, Andréa Claudia Bekner Silva Roberto, Ione Parra Barbosa-Tessmann, Paulo Donizeti Zanzarini, Maria Valdrinez Campana Lonardoni, ThaÃs Gomes Verzignassi Silveira<br>
AFFILIATION: Departamento de Análises ClÃnicas, Departamento de BioquÃmica, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brasil.<br>
REFERENCE: Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2006 Jun 101(4):427-30<br>
The objective of this work was to compare the polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) using lesion scrapping with other conventional techniques for the
diagnosis of the American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL). For this,
patients with cutaneous lesions suspected to be ATL were studied. The
DNA was amplified with the MP1L/MP3H primers. From the 156 studied
patients, 79 (50.6%) presented positive parasite direct search (PD), 81
(51.9%) had positive Montenegro skin test (MST), and 90 (57.7%)
presented PD and/or MST positive. The PCR was positive in all of the
positive-PD patients (100% sensitivity), in 91.1% of the positive PD and
/or MST patients, and in 27.3% of the patients that presented negative
PD and positive MST. The PCR positivity was similar to the PD (P = 0.
2482) and inferior to the MST (P = 0.0455), and to the PD/MST
association (P = 0.0133). The high PCR sensitivity, and positivity in
those cases where the PD was negative, highlights the importance of this
technique as an auxiliary tool for the diagnosis of ATL.<br>
<br><br>
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PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17083857" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17083857</a>
<input name="id_17083857" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17083857" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Sensitivity of leishmanin skin test in patients of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: A Manzur, Arfan ul Bari<br>
AFFILIATION: Department of Dermatology, PAF Hospital Sargodha, Pakistan.<br>
REFERENCE: Dermatol Online J 2006 12(4):2<br>
BACKGROUND: The leishmanin skin test (LST) is frequently used for
clinical diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Although, LST is
highly sensitive for CL, no definitive data exists as to how early in
the disease does the test becomes positive. OBJECTIVE: The study was
aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of LST in early cases of CL. PATIENTS
AND METHODS: One hundred male patients with CL of not more than 2-weeks
duration and having parasitologically proven diagnosis were enrolled in
this study, carried out in a military hospital in Balochistan, Pakistan
. LST was done by intradermal injection of 0.1 ml leishmanin on the
volar surface of the forearm. The skin test reaction was read after 48
hours and then at 72 hours if the first reading was negative or marginal
. If the initial test was negative, the LST was repeated after every 7
days until a positive reaction was produced. The total time from the
onset of skin lesions until a positive LST was obtained was recorded for
every patient. RESULTS: A positive LST was demonstrated in 78/100
patients with skin lesions of <or= 2 weeks duration, thus showing a
sensitivity of 78 percent for this short duration. The sensitivity of
LST increased to 94 percent and 98 percent for CL lesions of 4 and 6
weeks duration, respectively. CONCLUSION: LST is sensitive even in those
CL patients who present with lesions of very recent onset. Thus the
test can be employed with confidence, for the diagnosis of CL, even in
early disease.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17221131" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17221131</a>
<input name="id_17221131" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17221131" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Kinetics of growth of
<b>Leishmania</b> (<b>Leishmania</b>) chagasi cycle in McCoy cell culture.</a><br>
AUTHORS: Yeda L Nogueira, Paulo M Nakamura, Eunice A B Galati<br>
AFFILIATION: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo 715, 01246-902 São Paulo, SP, Brasil. <a href="mailto:ynogueir@usp.br" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
ynogueir@usp.br</a><br>
REFERENCE: Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2006 Nov-Dec 48(6):337-41<br>
The kinetics of growth of <b>Leishmania</b> performed in vitro after
internalization of the promastigote form in the cell and the occurrence
of the transformation of the parasite into the amastigote form have been
described by several authors. They used explants of macrophages in
hamster spleen cell culture or in a human macrophage lineage cell, the
U937. Using microscopy, the description of morphologic inter-
relationship and the analysis of the production of specific molecules,
it has been possible to define some of the peculiarities of the biology
of the parasite. The present study shows the growth cycle of <b>Leishmania</b>
chagasi during the observation of kinetic analysis undertaken with a
McCoy cell lineage that lasted for a period of 144 hours. During the
process, the morphologic transformation was revealed by indirect
immunofluorescence (IF) and the molecules liberated in the extra
cellular medium were observed by SDS-PAGE at 24-hour intervals during
the whole 144-hour period. It was observed that in the first 72 hours
the promastigote form of L. chagasi adhered to the cell membranes and
assumed a rounded (amastigote-like) form. At 96 hours the infected cells
showed morphologic alterations; at 120 hours the cells had liberated
soluble fluorescent antigens into the extra cellular medium. At 144
hours, new elongated forms of the parasites, similar to promastigotes,
were observed. In the SDS-PAGE, specific molecular weight proteins were
observed at each point of the kinetic analysis showing that the McCoy
cell imitates the macrophage and may be considered a useful model for
the study of the infection of the <b>Leishmania</b>/cell binomial.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=17226519" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">17226519</a>
<input name="id_17226519" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17226519" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Immunostimulant Activity of Picroliv, the Iridoid Glycoside Fraction of Picrorhiza kurroa, and its Protective Action against
<b>Leishmania</b> donovani Infection in Hamsters1.</a><br>
AUTHORS: A Puri, R P Saxena, P Y Guru, D K Kulshreshtha, K C Saxena, B N Dhawan<br>
AFFILIATION: ICMR Centre for Advanced Pharmacological Research on Traditional Remedies, Central Drug Research Institute, Post Box No. 173, Lucknow 226001 (U.P.), India.<br>
REFERENCE: Planta Med 1992 Dec 58(6):528-32<br>
Picroliv, a standardised fraction from root and rhizome of PICRORHIZA
KURROA, consisting of iridoid glycosides and shown to be responsible for
its hepatoprotective activity, was studied for immunostimulant activity
. Oral administration of Picroliv (10 mg/kg x 7 days) in mice prior to
immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) resulted in a significant
increase in haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre, plaque forming cells
(PFC), and delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) response to SRBC. Picroliv
enhanced the non-specific immune response characterized by an increase
in macrophage migration index (MMI), [ (14)C]-glucosamine uptake,
phagocytosis of [ (14)C]-leucine labelled ESCHERICHIA COLI,
chemiluminescence of peritoneal macrophages, and higher uptake of [ (3)H
]-thymidine in the lymphocytes of treated mice. It also induced a high
degree of protection in golden hamsters against challenge infection with
<b>LEISHMANIA</b> DONOVANI promastigotes.<br>
<br><br>
********************************************************************************************************************<br>
The following references are revised files and are brought to you in accordance to license agreement with the NLM.<br>
********************************************************************************************************************<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=16728320" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">16728320</a>
<input name="id_16728320" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16728320" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">New world cutaneous leishmaniasis in travellers.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: Eli Schwartz, Cristoph Hatz, Johannes Blum<br>
AFFILIATION: The Center for Geographic Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. <a href="mailto:elischwa@post.tau.ac.il" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
elischwa@post.tau.ac.il</a><br>
REFERENCE: Lancet Infect Dis 2006 Jun 6(6):342-9<br>
As travel to Latin America has become increasingly common, cutaneous
leishmaniasis is increasingly seen among returning travellers--eg, the
number of observed cases has doubled in the Netherlands and tripled in
the UK in the past decade. A surprisingly high proportion of cases were
acquired in rural or jungle areas of the Amazon basin in Bolivia. The
clinical manifestations range from ulcerative skin lesions (cutaneous
leishmaniasis) to a destructive mucosal inflammation (mucocutaneous
leishmaniasis), the latter usually being a complication of infection
with <b>Leishmania</b> (Viannia) braziliensis. PCR is now the diagnostic method
of choice, since it has a high sensitivity and gives a species-specific
diagnosis, allowing species-specific treatment. Treatment of cutaneous
leishmaniasis aims to prevent mucosal invasion, to accelerate the
healing of the skin lesion(s), and to avoid disfiguring scars.
Pentavalent antimonials drugs are still the drug of choice for many
patients. However, a high rate of adverse events, length of treatment,
and relapses in up to 25% of cases highlight the limitations of these
drugs. Although only used in a small number of patients thus far,
liposomal amphotericin B shows promising results. Further studies are
needed to find efficacious and better-tolerated drugs for new world
leishmaniasis.<br>
<br><br>
PMID: <a href="http://refscout.com/cgi-bin/exportAbstract.pl?base=medline-2007-04.xml&id=15657967" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">15657967</a>
<input name="id_15657967" value="Y" type="checkbox"><br>
TITLE: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15657967" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Dithiol proteins as guardians of the intracellular redox milieu in parasites: old and new drug targets in trypanosomes and malaria-causing plasmodia.
</a><br>
AUTHORS: R Luise Krauth-Siegel, Holger Bauer, R Heiner Schirmer<br>
AFFILIATION: Universität Heidelberg, Biochemie-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. <a href="mailto:krauth-siegel@urz.uni-heidelberg.de" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
krauth-siegel@urz.uni-heidelberg.de</a><br>
REFERENCE: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2005 Jan 44(5):690-715<br>
Parasitic diseases such as sleeping sickness, Chagas' heart disease, and
malaria are major health problems in poverty-stricken areas.
Antiparasitic drugs that are not only active but also affordable and
readily available are urgently required. One approach to finding new
drugs and rediscovering old ones is based on enzyme inhibitors that
paralyze antioxidant systems in the pathogens. These antioxidant
ensembles are essential to the parasites as they are attacked in the
human host by strong oxidants such as peroxynitrite, hypochlorite, and
H2O2. The pathogen-protecting system consists of some 20 thiol and
dithiol proteins, which buffer the intraparasitic redox milieu at a
potential of -250 mV. In trypanosomes and <b>leishmania</b> the network is
centered around the unique dithiol trypanothione (N1,N8-bis(glutathionyl
)spermidine). In contrast, malaria parasites have a more conservative
dual antioxidative system based on glutathione and thioredoxin.
Inhibitors of antioxidant enzymes such as trypanothione reductase are,
indeed, parasiticidal but they can also delay or prevent resistance
against a number of other antiparasitic drugs.<br>
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