Tissue/Biofluid Specific Molecular Cartography of Leishmania donovani Infected BALB/c Mice: Deciphering Systemic...

Area of Science:

• * Infectious Diseases
• * Metabolomics
• * Host-Pathogen Interactions

Background:

• * The pathophysiology of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and host alterations remain incompletely understood.
• * Accurate diagnosis and prognosis are crucial for reducing VL mortality and sequelae.
• * Exploring host metabolic changes can provide insights into disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To elucidate host metabolome alterations in response to *Leishmania donovani* (Ld) infection.
• * To identify potential biomarkers for VL diagnosis and prognosis.
• * To understand the metabolic impact of VL on different host tissues and biofluids.

Main Methods:

• * Untargeted metabolomics analysis of tissues (brain, liver, spleen, bone marrow) and biofluids (serum, urine, feces) from infected, uninfected, and treated BALB/c mice.
• * Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for metabolite profiling.
• * Statistical analyses (univariate and multivariate) were used to identify significant metabolic differences.

Main Results:

• * Significant differential metabolite levels were observed across various tissues and biofluids in infected mice.
• * Key metabolic pathways, including TCA cycle and glycolysis, were modulated during infection.
• * Potential biomarkers such as glutamic acid (serum), arginine and fumaric acid (brain), and choline (liver) were identified.

Conclusions:

• * Host metabolome profiling provides a valuable readout for understanding VL pathogenesis.
• * Identified metabolites represent potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for visceral leishmaniasis.
• * Further investigation of these metabolites may reveal new therapeutic targets for VL.