Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-Labeled Leishmania major Can Be Traced in Fibroblasts

Leishmaniasis is still a neglected tropical disease that can endanger more than 350 million people among 98 countries. Leishmania can survive in fibroblasts as latent inactive forms. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in cell culture for tracking the labeled Leishmania major in fibroblasts.

Dextran-coated SPIONs were used for labeling L. major in co-culture of fibroblasts with the parasite. To quantify and trace SPION-labeled Leishmania, Prussian blue staining was undertaken. Fibroblast characterization was undertaken by real time polymerase chain reaction. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used for confirming the entry of the labeled L. major to the cytoplasm and the nucleus of the fibroblast.

Fibroblasts were spindle-shaped and adherent to culture flasks. Promastigotes were with thin elongated lance-like morphology with an anterior kinetoplast and an emergent free flagellum. Prussian blue staining revealed that internalized SPIONs were localized within cytoplasm and nucleus of the fibroblasts after 24 hours of culture. Prussian blue staining successfully showed the presence of iron (stained blue) in labeled L. major within the fibroblasts. This finding was confirmed by TEM, and labeled L. major was detected in the fibroblast cytoplasm and nucleus too.

We can conclude that SPIONs are safe, inexpensive, easy to use, and accurate, and a fast method to label Leishmania parasite in cells that the parasite can be latent, such as fibroblasts. These findings can open a new window in diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis and can be added to the literature.