Journal article
LXR Deficiency Confers Increased Protection against Visceral Leishmania Infection in Mice
PLoS neglected tropical diseases, Vol.4(11), pp.e886-e886
11/2010
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000886
PMCID: PMC2982826
PMID: 21103366
Abstract
Leishmania spp.
are protozoan single-cell parasites that are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected sand fly, and can cause a wide spectrum of disease, ranging from self-healing skin lesions to potentially fatal systemic infections. Certain species of
Leishmania
that cause visceral (systemic) disease are a source of significant mortality worldwide. Here, we use a mouse model of visceral
Leishmania
infection to investigate the effect of a host gene called LXR. The LXRs have demonstrated important functions in both cholesterol regulation and inflammation. These processes, in turn, are closely related to lipid metabolism and the development of atherosclerosis. LXRs have also previously been shown to be involved in protection against other intracellular pathogens that infect macrophages, including certain bacteria. We demonstrate here that LXR is involved in susceptibility to
Leishmania
, as animals deficient in the LXR gene are much more resistant to infection with the parasite. We also demonstrate that macrophages lacking LXR kill parasites more readily, and make higher levels of nitric oxide (an antimicrobial mediator) and IL-1β (an inflammatory cytokine) in response to
Leishmania
infection. These results could have important implications in designing therapeutics against this deadly pathogen, as well as other intracellular microbial pathogens.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- LXR Deficiency Confers Increased Protection against Visceral Leishmania Infection in Mice
- Creators
- Kevin W Bruhn - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaChaitra Marathe - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaAna Cláudia Maretti-Mira - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaHong Nguyen - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaJacquelyn Haskell - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaThu Anh Tran - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaVeena Vanchinathan - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaUpasna Gaur - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaMary E Wilson - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaPeter Tontonoz - New York University School of Medicine, United States of AmericaNoah Craft - New York University School of Medicine, United States of America
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- PLoS neglected tropical diseases, Vol.4(11), pp.e886-e886
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000886
- PMID
- 21103366
- PMCID
- PMC2982826
- NLM abbreviation
- PLoS Negl Trop Dis
- ISSN
- 1935-2727
- eISSN
- 1935-2735
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science; San Francisco, USA
- Alternative title
- LXR Deficiency Increases Leishmania Resistance
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2010
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; International Programs; Epidemiology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984001219702771
Metrics
23 Record Views