Article
Immunology
Jennifer Ottino, Jaqueline Costa Leite, Otoni Alves Melo-Junior, Marco Antonio Cabrera Gonzalez, Tatiane Furtado de Carvalho, Giani Martins Garcia, Mauricio Azevedo Batista, Patricia Silveira, Mariana Santos Cardoso, Lilian Lacerda Bueno, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Renato Lima Santos, Paulo Ricardo de Oliveira Paes, Denise Silveira-Lemos, Olindo Assis Martins-Filho, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Miguel Angel Chavez-Fumagalli, Walderez Ornelas Dutra, Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Summary: This study used hamsters as an experimental model to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of two novel nanoparticle formulations in an anti-Leishmania vaccine trial. The results showed that the nanoparticles were safe and harmless to the animals and induced an immune response, leading to a reduction in tissue parasite load. The smaller nanoparticle formulation resulted in a greater reduction in spleen parasite burden.
Article
Immunology
Marco Antonio Cabrera Gonzalez, Ana Alice Maia Goncalves, Jennifer Ottino, Jaqueline Costa Leite, Lucilene Aparecida Resende, Otoni Alves Melo-Junior, Patricia Silveira, Mariana Santos Cardoso, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Lilian Lacerda Bueno, Renato Lima Santos, Tatiane Furtado de Carvalho, Giani Martins Garcia, Paulo Ricardo de Oliveira Paes, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Miguel Angel Chavez-Fumagalli, Marilia Martins Melo, Denise Silveira-Lemos, Olindo Assis Martins-Filho, Walderez Ornelas Dutra, Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal disease caused by Leishmania infantum, and dogs are the main reservoirs. A vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is important in controlling human and CVL infections by reducing L. infantum infection. This study evaluated the potential of two polymeric nanoformulations loaded with Leishmania amazonensis antigens as a VL vaccine using golden hamsters as a model. The results showed that the vaccines had no adverse reactions and significantly reduced the parasitic load in the liver and spleen. These vaccines may be promising candidates for a VL vaccine.
Article
Immunology
Lays Gisele Santos Bomfim, Lucas Sousa Magalhaes, Lorrany Santana Rodrigues, Aline Silva Barreto, Camilla Natalia Oliveira Santos, Priscila Lima dos Santos, Cristiane Bani Correa, Kiyoshi Ferreira Fukutani, Dalmo Correia Filho, Angela Maria da Silva, Michael Wheeler Lipscomb, Tatiana Rodrigues de Moura
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the expression profile of TREM-1 on the surface of neutrophils from patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) at different stages of leishmanicidal treatment. Results showed that VL patients had lower TREM-1 expression on neutrophils before treatment, but levels increased after treatment, reaching similar levels to healthy controls. TREM-1 expression was correlated with lymphocyte and erythrocyte count, spleen and liver size, and interleukin (IL)-22 levels.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sabrina de Oliveira Emerick, Thais Vieira de Carvalho, Bianca Meirelles Miranda, Adriana Carneiro da Silva, Thais Viana Fialho Martins, Leandro Licursi de Oliveira, Eduardo de Almeida Marques-da-Silva
Summary: The study evaluated the immunization using different vaccines and adjuvants against L. chagasi infection, and found that the LPG3-SAP vaccine significantly reduced parasite load in both spleen and liver in mice, inducing Th1/Th17 response and IL-10 production.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jacob van der Ende, Henk D. F. H. Schallig
Summary: This review examines the different animal models used in drug development for leishmaniasis and highlights the lack of thorough description of experimental procedures, ethical review, and consideration of alternative methods to animal studies. The study proposes a more standardized animal model and emphasizes the importance of reporting and ethical review. Overall, animal experiments for leishmaniasis drug development are poorly designed, lacking essential information and consideration of animal welfare.
Article
Immunology
Joao Guilherme Lino da Silva, Ana Alice Maia Goncalves, Liliam Teixeira Oliveira, Giani Martins Garcia, Mauricio Azevedo Batista, Ludmila Zanandreis de Mendonca, Kelvinson Fernandes Viana, Rita de Cassia Oliveira Sant'Ana, Otoni Alves de Oliveira Melo Junior, Denise Silveira-Lemos, Walderez Ornelas Dutra, Olindo Assis Martins-Filho, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Sandra Aparecida Lima de Moura, Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Summary: Recent studies suggest that antigens in microparticles can enhance the immunogenicity of antiLeishmania vaccines. This study investigates the in situ effect of chitosan-coated poly(D,L-lactic) acid submicrometric particles (SMP) as adjuvants and analyzes their inflammatory profile and toxicity. The results show that SMPs promote cell recruitment without tissue damage and stimulate early innate immune responses. They also demonstrate reduced NK cell count and impaired T and B cell subsets in mice vaccinated with SMPs encapsulating Leishmania braziliensis antigen.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deep Bhowmik, Achyut Bhuyan, Seshan Gunalan, Gugan Kothandan, Diwakar Kumar
Summary: In this study, a global multiepitope subunit vaccination against visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was designed using innovative immunoinformatics technique. The vaccine showed promising immunogenicity and has the potential to eradicate the disease in the future.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rupal Ojha, Kailash Chand, Balachandar Vellingiri, Vijay Kumar Prajapati
Summary: This study aimed to develop a more potent vaccine candidate against visceral leishmaniasis. The recombinant vaccine candidate Leisp was expressed, purified, and characterized. The expression modulation of different cytokines was evaluated in THP1 cell lines, and the impact of the vaccine protein candidates in infected conditions was determined. The results showed that the candidate vaccine could significantly upregulate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, indicating its potential inductive efficacy for inflammation in Leishmania-infected cells.
Review
Immunology
Mukesh Samant, Utkarsha Sahu, Satish Chandra Pandey, Prashant Khare
Summary: Cytokines play a crucial role in the immune response to VL, affecting the formation of protective and non-protective immunities during infection. Understanding the interaction between cytokine response and various immune cells is essential for developing appropriate immunotherapies against VL. Different cytokines have varying effects on disease progression or host protection in different animal models and humans, influencing the clinical outcomes and potential diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for VL.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Han Boon Ong, Simon Clare, Adam Jonathan Roberts, Mary Edythe Wilson, Gavin James Wright
Summary: The paper has been amended and the revised version can be accessed through a link at the top of the paper.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Alisha Ansari, Anuradha Seth, Mukul Dutta, Tooba Qamar, Sarita Katiyar, Arvind K. Jaiswal, Ankita Rani, Swetapadma Majhi, Mukesh Kumar, Rabi S. Bhatta, Rajdeep Guha, Kalyan Mitra, Koneni Sashidhara, Susanta Kar
Summary: In this study, a series of quinazolinone-based acetamide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-leishmanial activity. Compounds F12, F27, and F30 exhibited remarkable activity against L. donovani in vitro. Oral administration of F12 and F27 significantly reduced parasite burden in infected mice and hamsters. Mechanistic studies revealed the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/CREB axis by F27, resulting in a shift from IL-10 to IL-12 release in macrophages. In silico studies suggested that F27 inhibits Leishmania prolyl-tRNA synthetase, leading to programmed cell death of the parasite.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Subhadip Saha, Shubham Vashishtha, Bishwajit Kundu, Monidipa Ghosh
Summary: The study utilizes bioinformatics and immunology to design a multi-epitope vaccine for the prevention and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. The vaccine shows high affinity and potential effectiveness in a global population. Successful cloning and optimization of the vaccine's nucleic acid sequence have also been achieved.
BMC BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helen Ashwin, Jovana Sadlova, Barbora Vojtkova, Tomas Becvar, Patrick Lypaczewski, Eli Schwartz, Elizabeth Greensted, Katrien Van Bocxlaer, Marion Pasin, Kai S. Lipinski, Vivak Parkash, Greg Matlashewski, Alison M. Layton, Charles J. Lacey, Charles L. Jaffe, Petr Volf, Paul M. Kaye
Summary: Leishmaniasis is considered a vaccine-preventable disease, but costs and uncertainty hinder progress in vaccine development. Controlled human infection models offer a way to speed up vaccine development and gain better understanding of disease pathogenesis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Yuanyuan Li, Zhuowei Luo, Yuwan Hao, Yi Zhang, Limin Yang, Zhongqiu Li, Zhengbin Zhou, Shizhu Li
Summary: This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering of visceral leishmaniasis in China from 2019 to 2021, identified high-risk areas for transmission, and provided scientific evidence for prevention and control measures. The findings showed a shift in high-incidence areas to central China, particularly in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, emphasizing the need for targeted strategies in these regions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ana Isabel Olias-Molero, Concepcion de la Fuente, Montserrat Cuquerella, Juan J. Torrado, Jose M. Alunda
Summary: Leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania species, affects humans and animals with no available vaccine and relies mainly on chemotherapy. The currently used drugs are old, toxic, and expensive, with limited efficacy, facing challenges of growing resistance and therapeutic failure. The drug pipeline deconstruction impacts the high failure rate of potential drugs in the fight against this parasitic disease.
Editorial Material
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sheetal Saini, Ambak Kumar Rai
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Abhishek Nigam, Sheetal Saini, Ambak Kumar Rai, S. J. Pawar
Summary: In this study, MgO/ZnO nanocomposites with good crystallinity and dispersity were successfully prepared, showing excellent biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties against human cells and bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Sushmita Negi, Sheetal Saini, Nikunj Tandel, Kiran Sahu, Ravi P. N. Mishra, Rajeev K. Tyagi
Summary: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease in humans, caused by dysregulated immune response against constituents of gut flora in genetically predisposed individuals. Defective immune responses against regulatory mechanisms amplify and maintain IBD-induced mucosal inflammation.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Abhishek Nigam, Sheetal Saini, Ambak Kumar Rai, S. J. Pawar
Summary: In this study, spindle-shaped ZnO submicron particles were synthesized and characterized by various analytical methods. The research investigated the cytotoxic and anti-microbial activities of these particles, revealing their biocompatible nature, cytotoxic properties against cancer cell lines, and significant anti-microbial activity against bacteria. The findings suggest that these submicron particles could be safe candidates for biomedical applications.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Satya Prakash, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: Retinoic acid (RA) activates mTORC1 complex, promoting cholesterol synthesis and uptake, and suppressing efflux, leading to cellular cholesterol accumulation. Increased expression of SREBP2, LDLR, and PCSK9 is associated with elevated cellular cholesterol levels induced by RA treatment, which is independent of mTORC1 activation.
IMMUNOLOGIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Abhishek Nigam, Sheetal Saini, Bharat Singh, Ambak Kumar Rai, S. J. Pawar
Summary: This study further explores the structural, optical, morphological, and biological properties of Zinc doped Magnesium ferrite nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel route, and investigates their potential for biomedical applications. The results demonstrate that the Zinc doped Magnesium ferrite nanoparticles exhibit excellent biocompatibility and biological activity, making them a promising material for biomedical applications.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Satya Prakash, Sheetal Saini, Smita Kumari, Bharat Singh, Amit Kumar Kureel, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: This study observed the loss of cellular cholesterol in infected macrophages in the absence of retinoic acid (RA) and found that Leishmania utilizes host cholesterol for infection. Supplementation of RA restored cellular cholesterol levels and resulted in decreased parasite load. Therefore, RA supplementation could be a potential advancement in the treatment and cure of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients.
Article
Oncology
Kulwant Singh, Smita Kumari, Bharat Singh, Ranjeet Bahadur Choubey, Dipendra Kumar Mitra, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: Human leukemic T cells and Jurkat T cells show opposite patterns of CD5 expression, which is due to the absence of an exonal switch between E1A and E1B. Jurkat cells do not retain all characteristics of T-ALL cells, suggesting caution when interpreting data obtained using Jurkat T cells as a model cell line of T-ALL.
CANCER INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Srishti Sahu, Bharat Singh, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: The expression of genes plays a crucial role in various diseases, including their initiation, progression, and pathology. Human endogenous viruses (HERVs), which are viral sequences in the human genome, are increasingly expressed in cancers.
MOLECULAR AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Bharat Singh, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: Aging is characterized by the progressive decline in anatomical architecture and loss of functional integrity. Degenerative cellular and molecular changes contribute to increased fragility at the cellular and molecular levels, leading to age-associated diseases. Impaired T cell function in aging is a major contributor to increased susceptibility to pathogens, decreased vaccine response, and skewed inflammation. Recent studies on T cell function have provided insights into the metabolic aspect and potential restoration strategies.
Article
Microbiology
Satya Prakash, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: Infection with Leishmania donovani reduces cellular cholesterol levels, but retinoic acid (RA) can restore cholesterol levels and reduce parasite burden in macrophages.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sheetal Saini, Bharat Singh, Anuradha Dube, Amogh Anant Sahasrabuddhe, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: In this study, the parasite burden and mRNA expression levels of a panel of Th-2 and Th-1 type immune markers were quantified in the spleen, liver, bone marrow, and mesenteric lymph node of hamsters infected with Leishmania donovani. The results showed that IFN-gamma, IL-10, T-bet, GATA-3, SOCS-5, and SOCS-3 were the major players in this immune response.
PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Satya Prakash, Ambak Kumar Rai
Summary: This study discovered the parasiticidal function of retinoic acid (RA) in infected macrophages and its ability to restore cellular cholesterol levels. It also found that RA can interfere with the growth and viability of the parasite by inhibiting sterol 24-C methyltransferase (SMT), leading to a loss of cellular ergosterol.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
