Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) by <it>Leishmania infantum </it>is endemic in Italy, with a high percentage of infected asymptomatic animals. However, the immune response mechanisms underlying the clinical presentat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cianciulli Antonia, Cavallo Pasqua, de Caprariis Donato, Brandonisio Olga, Panaro Maria A, Mitolo Vincenzo, Otranto Domenico
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2008-05-01
Series:Parasites & Vectors
Online Access:http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/1/1/10
id doaj-aa83b9a7ee7e473b8bdb4c0c19d1afd0
record_format Article
spelling doaj-aa83b9a7ee7e473b8bdb4c0c19d1afd02020-11-24T21:04:01ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052008-05-01111010.1186/1756-3305-1-10Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?Cianciulli AntoniaCavallo Pasquade Caprariis DonatoBrandonisio OlgaPanaro Maria AMitolo VincenzoOtranto Domenico<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) by <it>Leishmania infantum </it>is endemic in Italy, with a high percentage of infected asymptomatic animals. However, the immune response mechanisms underlying the clinical presentation of CanL have not been fully investigated. Among leishmanicidal molecules produced by activated macrophages, nitric oxide (NO) produced by an inducible NO synthase seems to play an important protective role, but no conclusive data are available. Therefore, NO released by cultured macrophages from dogs with natural <it>Leishmania </it>infection living in an endemic area for CanL was evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>On the basis of one year's clinical and laboratory follow-up, 22 dogs infected by <it>Leishmania infantum </it>were identified and grouped as: asymptomatic dogs (n = 13) and dogs with symptoms of leishmaniasis (n = 9). Each animal was bled twice at 4-month intervals and macrophage and lymphocyte cultures were obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Supernatants of <it>L. infantum</it>-infected macrophage cultures, with or without addition of autologous lymphocytes, were assayed for NO production by Griess reaction for nitrites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the first months of the infection the levels of NO in supernatants of <it>Leishmania</it>-infected macrophages were higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic dogs, but they were significantly increased in the latter group eight months after the diagnosis of infection. Furthermore, NO release significantly decreased in the presence of autologous lymphocytes in both groups of animals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that NO may be involved in the long-term protection of dogs against natural <it>Leishmania </it>infection and in the clinical presentation of canine leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean area.</p> http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/1/1/10
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Cianciulli Antonia
Cavallo Pasqua
de Caprariis Donato
Brandonisio Olga
Panaro Maria A
Mitolo Vincenzo
Otranto Domenico
spellingShingle Cianciulli Antonia
Cavallo Pasqua
de Caprariis Donato
Brandonisio Olga
Panaro Maria A
Mitolo Vincenzo
Otranto Domenico
Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
Parasites & Vectors
author_facet Cianciulli Antonia
Cavallo Pasqua
de Caprariis Donato
Brandonisio Olga
Panaro Maria A
Mitolo Vincenzo
Otranto Domenico
author_sort Cianciulli Antonia
title Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
title_short Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
title_full Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
title_fullStr Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
title_full_unstemmed Canine leishmaniasis in Southern Italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
title_sort canine leishmaniasis in southern italy: a role for nitric oxide released from activated macrophages in asymptomatic infection?
publisher BMC
series Parasites & Vectors
issn 1756-3305
publishDate 2008-05-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) by <it>Leishmania infantum </it>is endemic in Italy, with a high percentage of infected asymptomatic animals. However, the immune response mechanisms underlying the clinical presentation of CanL have not been fully investigated. Among leishmanicidal molecules produced by activated macrophages, nitric oxide (NO) produced by an inducible NO synthase seems to play an important protective role, but no conclusive data are available. Therefore, NO released by cultured macrophages from dogs with natural <it>Leishmania </it>infection living in an endemic area for CanL was evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>On the basis of one year's clinical and laboratory follow-up, 22 dogs infected by <it>Leishmania infantum </it>were identified and grouped as: asymptomatic dogs (n = 13) and dogs with symptoms of leishmaniasis (n = 9). Each animal was bled twice at 4-month intervals and macrophage and lymphocyte cultures were obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Supernatants of <it>L. infantum</it>-infected macrophage cultures, with or without addition of autologous lymphocytes, were assayed for NO production by Griess reaction for nitrites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the first months of the infection the levels of NO in supernatants of <it>Leishmania</it>-infected macrophages were higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic dogs, but they were significantly increased in the latter group eight months after the diagnosis of infection. Furthermore, NO release significantly decreased in the presence of autologous lymphocytes in both groups of animals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that NO may be involved in the long-term protection of dogs against natural <it>Leishmania </it>infection and in the clinical presentation of canine leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean area.</p>
url http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/1/1/10
work_keys_str_mv AT cianciulliantonia canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT cavallopasqua canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT decaprariisdonato canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT brandonisioolga canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT panaromariaa canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT mitolovincenzo canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
AT otrantodomenico canineleishmaniasisinsouthernitalyarolefornitricoxidereleasedfromactivatedmacrophagesinasymptomaticinfection
_version_ 1716772336693149696