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Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Polysome Profiling in Leishmania, Human Cells and Mouse Testis
Published on: April 8, 2018
Identification of gene expression profiles in Leishmania major infection by integrated bioinformatics analyses
Özlem Ulusan1, Ufuk Mert2, Aygül Sadıqova3
1Department of Parasitology, Ege University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract:
Gene expression profiling in mouse models of leishmaniasis has given useful information to understand the molecular pathways active in lesions and to discover new diagnostic/therapeutic targets. Although the host response plays a critical role in protection from leishmaniasis and promoting disease severity, there are still unexplained aspects in the mechanism of non-healing cutaneous lesions, which need biomarkers for both targeted- therapy and diagnosis. To address this, transcriptional profiling of the skin lesions obtained from BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major and healthy skin from naïve mice were evaluated by bioinformatics analysis, and then the results were validated by Revers Transcriptase-PCR. Five genes among the up-regulated differentially expressed genes named FCGR4, CCL4, CXCL9, Arg1 and IL-1β were found to have relatively high diagnostic value for CL due to L. major. Pathway analysis revealed that Triggering Receptor Expressed On Myeloid Cells 1 (TREM1) signaling pathways are active in cutaneous lesions, providing new insights for the understanding and treatment of leishmaniasis.
Insights
Researchers identified five key genes (FCGR4, CCL4, CXCL9, Arg1, IL-1β) with high diagnostic value for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in mice. This study also revealed active Triggering Receptor Expressed On Myeloid Cells 1 (TREM1) signaling pathways in lesions, offering new therapeutic insights.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) pathogenesis involves complex host responses, with non-healing lesions presenting diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for targeted therapies and accurate diagnosis of CL.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying leishmaniasis progression is essential for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel diagnostic biomarkers for CL caused by Leishmania major infection.
- To elucidate the molecular pathways involved in the development of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions.
- To explore potential therapeutic targets for leishmaniasis based on gene expression patterns.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptional profiling of skin lesions from Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice and healthy controls.
- Bioinformatic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes.
- Validation of candidate genes using Revers Transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR).
- Pathway analysis to investigate active molecular signaling cascades.
Main Results:
- Five significantly up-regulated genes (FCGR4, CCL4, CXCL9, Arg1, IL-1β) demonstrated high diagnostic potential for CL.
- Bioinformatic and RT-PCR validation confirmed the differential expression of these key genes.
- Pathway analysis indicated the activation of Triggering Receptor Expressed On Myeloid Cells 1 (TREM1) signaling in cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions.
Conclusions:
- The identified genes (FCGR4, CCL4, CXCL9, Arg1, IL-1β) serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers for CL.
- The involvement of TREM1 signaling pathways offers new perspectives for understanding and treating leishmaniasis.
- This research provides a foundation for developing targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for CL.
