Epidemiological and Experimental Evidence for Sex-Dependent Differences in the Outcome of Leishmania infantum Infection.
Am J Trop Med Hyg
; 98(1): 142-145, 2018 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29165220
ABSTRACT
Leishmania infantum causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil. We previously observed that VL is more common in males than females living in endemic neighborhoods, despite similar exposure. Using a larger sample, we document that VL is more common in males than females, but only after puberty. BALB/c and C57BL/6 mouse models confirmed that there is a biological basis for male susceptibility to symptomatic VL, showing higher parasite burdens in males than females. Female C57BL/6 mice generated more antigen-induced cytokines associated with curative responses (interferon-γ, interleukin [IL]-1ß). Males expressed higher levels of IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor, which are linked to exacerbated disease. Different parasite lines entered or survived at a higher rate in macrophages of male- than female-origin. These results suggest that males are inherently more susceptible to L. infantum than females and that mice are a valid model to study this sex-dependent difference.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Leishmania infantum
/
Leishmaniose Visceral
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article