Presence of anti-Lepp12 antibody: a marker for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of visceral leishmaniasis.

The diagnostic potential of recombinant Lepp12 (rLepp12) antigen cloned from Leishmania infantum was assessed in L. donovani infections by Western blotting. Ninety-two serum samples, including 30 patients with active kala-azar (KA), 17 post-treated KA patients (KA-PT), 20 post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) patients and 25 controls, were analysed for rLepp12, rK39 and DAT positivity.

Leishmania proteins derived from recombinant DNA: current status and next steps.

The parasite Leishmania is a major cause of disease worldwide. In the past 15 years, many groups have analysed DNA-derived proteins from Leishmania. Large amounts of data obtained by these groups can be collated to direct future research into Leishmania and to find novel immunological mechanisms and information about its metabolism.

Recombinant DNA-derived leishmania proteins: from the laboratory to the field.

Leishmaniases, caused by parasites belonging to Leishmania spp, constitute a vast variety of diseases, from cutaneous lesions (CL) to visceral leishmaniasis (VL). If untreated, leishmaniases can be fatal, and affect 12 million people in nearly 90 countries, presenting a worldwide public-health problem. Most diagnostic tools are not suitable for use in field conditions.

A novel Leishmania infantum nuclear phosphoprotein Lepp12 which stimulates IL1-beta synthesis in THP-1 transfectants.

Background: We report cloning and characterization of a novel Leishmania infantum protein which we termed Lepp12, and we examine its possible implication in the interference with intramacrophage signaling pathways.

Results: The protein Lepp12 contains 87 amino acid sequence and exhibits 5 potential phosphorylation sites by protein kinase C (PKC). Recombinant GST-Lepp12 is phosphorylated in vitro by exogenous PKC and by PKC-like activities present in promastigote and in the myelomonocytic THP-1 cell line, indicating that at least one phosphorylation site is functional on the recombinant Lepp12.

In vivo involvement of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in Leishmania infantum infection.

Background: The role of lymphocytes in the specific defence against L. infantum has been well established, but the part played by polynuclear neutrophil (PN) cells in controlling visceral leishmaniasis was much less studied. In this report we examine in vivo the participation of PN in early and late phases of infection by L.