A new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: Photothermal application of macrophage-specific antibody binding graphene oxide nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a zoonotic and anthropogenic protozoal disease. We aimedto develop a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of CL. METHODS: BALB/c mice have infected L. major amastigotes from their footpads. Twenty-one days later after injection, the animals were divided into three control and three experimental groups. The intralesional injection of graphene oxide and photothermal application (GO+PA) were applied to the first experimental group (Group 1); graphene oxide modified with a macrophage-specific antibody and photothermal application (MSA+GO+PA) were applied to the second experimental group (Group 2), and the photothermal application (PA) was applied to the third experimental group (Group 3). Miltefosine was administered orally to the first control group (Group 4); the second control group that is not treated was assigned as the positive control (Group 5) and the third control group was assigned as the negative control (Group 6). Lesions were examined (erythema and edema) after the 5th day and 10th of the treatment, clinically. On the 10th day of the treatment, the level of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and IFN-ɤ were detected histopathologically and immunohistochemically. RESULTS: In the 5th day of the treatment it was observed that 50% of the animals were completely treated with Group 2, and in the 10th day, the ration raised to 75%. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: We showed a novel application to treat CL by using MSA modified GO and PA within 10 days. According to our study outcomes, this application could be a new treatment approach for CL cure.