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In Vivo Infection with Leishmania amazonensis to Evaluate Parasite Virulence in Mice
Published on: February 20, 2020
IL-18 contributes to susceptibility to Leishmania amazonensis infection by macrophage-independent mechanisms
Louisa M A Sousa1, Matheus B H Carneiro2, Liliane M Dos Santos2
1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Abstract:
We evaluated the role of IL-18 during Leishmania amazonensis infection in C57BL/6 mice, using IL-18KO mice. We showed that IL-18 is involved in susceptibility to L. amazonensis, since IL-18KO mice presented reduced lesions and parasite loads. Because macrophages are the host cells of the parasite, we investigated if macrophages were involved in IL-18-mediated susceptibility to L. amazonensis. We showed that macrophages obtained from WT or IL-18KO responded similarly to L. amazonensis infection. Moreover, we showed that C57BL/6 macrophages do not respond to IL-18, since they do not express IL-18R. Therefore, macrophages are not involved in IL-18-mediated susceptibility to L. amazonensis.

