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Heeren S, Maes I, Sanders M, Lye LF, Adaui V, Arevalo J, Llanos-Cuentas A, Garcia L, Lemey P, Beverley SM, Cotton JA, Dujardin JC, Van den Broeck F. Diversity and dissemination of viruses in pathogenic protozoa. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8343. [PMID: 38102141 PMCID: PMC10724245 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44085-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and play a significant role in the evolution of many organisms and ecosystems. In pathogenic protozoa, the presence of viruses has been linked to an increased risk of treatment failure and severe clinical outcome. Here, we studied the molecular epidemiology of the zoonotic disease cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru and Bolivia through a joint evolutionary analysis of Leishmania braziliensis and their dsRNA Leishmania virus 1. We show that parasite populations circulate in tropical rainforests and are associated with single viral lineages that appear in low prevalence. In contrast, groups of hybrid parasites are geographically and ecologically more dispersed and associated with an increased prevalence, diversity and spread of viruses. Our results suggest that parasite gene flow and hybridization increased the frequency of parasite-virus symbioses, a process that may change the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senne Heeren
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ilse Maes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Lon-Fye Lye
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Vanessa Adaui
- Laboratory of Biomolecules, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | - Jorge Arevalo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Lineth Garcia
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédicas e Investigación Social, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Philippe Lemey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephen M Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - James A Cotton
- Welcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Comparative Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Frederik Van den Broeck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Klocek D, Grybchuk D, Tichá L, Votýpka J, Volf P, Kostygov AY, Yurchenko V. Evolution of RNA viruses in trypanosomatids: new insights from the analysis of Sauroleishmania. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2279-2286. [PMID: 37490143 PMCID: PMC10495512 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07928-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
RNA viruses play an important role in Leishmania biology and virulence. Their presence was documented in three (out of four) Leishmania subgenera. Sauroleishmania of reptiles remained the only underinvestigated group. In this work, we analyzed the viral occurrence in Sauroleishmania spp. and detected RNA viruses in three out of seven isolates under study. These viruses were of two families-Narnaviridae and Totiviridae. Phylogenetic inferences demonstrated that totiviruses from L. adleri and L. tarentolae group together within a larger cluster of LRV2s, while a narnavirus of L. gymnodactyli appeared as a phylogenetic relative of narnaviruses of Blechomonas spp. Taken together, our work not only expanded the range of trypanosomatids that can host RNA viruses but also shed new light on the evolution and potential routes of viral transmission in these flagellates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donnamae Klocek
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Danyil Grybchuk
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Lucie Tichá
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
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3
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Rêgo FD, da Silva ES, Lopes VV, Teixeira-Neto RG, Belo VS, Fonseca AA, Pereira DA, Pena HP, Laurenti MD, Araújo GV, da Matta VLR, Chouman IH, Burrin TB, Sandoval CM, Barrouin-Melo SM, de Pinho FA, de Andrade HM, Nunes RV, Gontijo CMF, Soccol VT, Klocek D, Grybchuk D, Macedo DH, do Monte-Neto RL, Yurchenko V, Soares RP. First report of putative Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) in Leishmania infantum strains from canine and human visceral leishmaniasis cases in the southeast of Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2023; 118:e230071. [PMID: 37729273 PMCID: PMC10511063 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760230071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV1) is commonly found in South American Leishmania parasites belonging to the subgenus Viannia, whereas Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) was previously thought to be restricted to the Old-World pathogens of the subgenus Leishmania. OBJECTIVES In this study, we investigated the presence of LRV2 in strains of Leishmania (L.) infantum, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), originating from different hosts, clinical forms, and geographical regions. METHODS A total of seventy-one isolates were screened for LRV2 using semi-nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. FINDINGS We detected LRV2 in two L. infantum isolates (CUR268 and HP-EMO) from canine and human cases, respectively. MAIN CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detection of LRV2 in the New World.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Dutra Rêgo
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Grupo de Pesquisa em Biotecnologia Aplicada ao Estudo de Patógenos, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Eduardo Sérgio da Silva
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias e Infecciosas, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Valeriana Valadares Lopes
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias e Infecciosas, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Vinícius Silva Belo
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias e Infecciosas, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Antônio Augusto Fonseca
- Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento, Laboratório Nacional Agropecuária, Pedro Leopoldo, MG, Brasil
| | - Diego Andrade Pereira
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias e Infecciosas, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Heber Paulino Pena
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias e Infecciosas, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Márcia Dalastra Laurenti
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Gabriela V Araújo
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Vânia Lúcia Ribeiro da Matta
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Islam Hussein Chouman
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Thainá Bergantin Burrin
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Carmen M Sandoval
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Stella Maria Barrouin-Melo
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Infectologia Veterinária, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Flaviane Alves de Pinho
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Infectologia Veterinária, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Hélida Monteiro de Andrade
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Leishmanioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Ramon Vieira Nunes
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Leishmanioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Célia Maria Ferreira Gontijo
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Grupo de Pesquisa em Biotecnologia Aplicada ao Estudo de Patógenos, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Vanete Thomaz Soccol
- Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Donnamae Klocek
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Life Science Research Centre, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Danyil Grybchuk
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Life Science Research Centre, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Diego Henrique Macedo
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Life Science Research Centre, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Rubens Lima do Monte-Neto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Grupo de Pesquisa em Biotecnologia Aplicada ao Estudo de Patógenos, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Life Science Research Centre, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Grupo de Pesquisa em Biotecnologia Aplicada ao Estudo de Patógenos, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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Heeren S, Maes I, Sanders M, Lye LF, Arevalo J, Llanos-Cuentas A, Garcia L, Lemey P, Beverley SM, Cotton JA, Dujardin JC, den Broeck FV. Parasite hybridization promotes spreading of endosymbiotic viruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.24.534103. [PMID: 36993291 PMCID: PMC10055345 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.24.534103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and play a significant role in the evolution of many organisms and ecosystems. In pathogenic protozoa, the presence of endosymbiotic viruses has been linked to an increased risk of treatment failure and severe clinical outcome. Here, we studied the molecular epidemiology of the zoonotic disease cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru and Bolivia through a joint evolutionary analysis of Leishmania braziliensis parasites and their endosymbiotic Leishmania RNA virus. We show that parasite populations circulate in isolated pockets of suitable habitat and are associated with single viral lineages that appear in low prevalence. In contrast, groups of hybrid parasites were geographically and ecologically dispersed, and commonly infected from a pool of genetically diverse viruses. Our results suggest that parasite hybridization, likely due to increased human migration and ecological perturbations, increased the frequency of endosymbiotic interactions known to play a key role in disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senne Heeren
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ilse Maes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mandy Sanders
- Parasite Genomics Group, Welcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Lon-Fye Lye
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Jorge Arevalo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Lineth Garcia
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédicas e Investigación Social, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Philippe Lemey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephen M Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - James A Cotton
- Parasite Genomics Group, Welcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Frederik Van den Broeck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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5
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Rahmanipour M, Mohebali M, Koosha M, Kazemirad E, Yasami-Khiabani S, Mirjalali H, Hajjaran H. Effect of Leishmania RNA virus 2 on virulence factors and cytokines gene expression in a human macrophage infected with Leishmania major: A preliminary study. Exp Parasitol 2023; 246:108459. [PMID: 36596336 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important infectious parasitic diseases in the world caused by the Leishmania parasite. In recent decades, the presence of a virus from the Totiviridae family has been proven in some Leishmania species. Although the existence of LRV2 in the Old world Leishmania species has been confirmed, almost no studies have been done to determine the potential impact of LRV2 on the immunopathogenicity of the Leishmania parasite. In this preliminary study, we measured the expression of target genes, including Glycoprotein 63 (gp63), Heat Shock Protein 70 (hsp70), Cysteine Protease b (cpb), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL8 and IL-12 in LRV2 positive Leishmania major strain (LRV2+L. major) and LRV2 negative L. major strain (LRV2-L. major). We exposed THP-1, a human leukemia monocytic cell line, to promastigotes of both strains. After the initial infection, RNA was extracted at different time points, and the relative gene expression was determined using a real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Findings showed that the presence of LRV2 in L. major was able to increase the expression of gp63, hsp70, and cpb genes; also, we observed lower levels of expression in cytokine genes of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-12 in the presence of LRV2+, which are critical factors in the host's immune response against leishmaniasis. These changes could suggest that the presence of LRV2 in L. major parasite may change the outcome of the disease and increase the probability of Leishmania survival; nevertheless, further studies are needed to confirm our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Rahmanipour
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Medical Entomology & Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Kazemirad
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Hamed Mirjalali
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Zoonoses Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
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6
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Abstract
In this work we reviewed historical and recent data on Leishmania spp. infection combining data collected in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, China and Mongolia. We specifically focused on a complex of co-existing species (Leishmania major, Leishmania turanica and Leishmania gerbilli) sharing the same animal reservoirs and vectors. In addition, we analysed the presence of dsRNA viruses in these species and discussed future research directions to identify species-specific traits, which may determine susceptibility of different Leishmania spp. to viral infection.
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7
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Zolfaghari A, Beheshti-Maal K, Ahadi AM, Monajemi R. Identification of Leishmania species and frequency distribution of LRV1 and LRV2 viruses on cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Isfahan Province, Iran. Indian J Med Microbiol 2023; 41:13-18. [PMID: 36870742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Leishmaniasis is one of the most serious health problems in developing countries. Iran is one of the endemic regions of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is a dsRNA virus member of the Totiviridae family, which was first detected in the promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis. Our study aimed to investigate possible changes in the predominant and causative strains of CL and screening the LRV1 and LRV2 species genome from Leishmania species isolated from the lesions of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Direct smear samples obtained from 62 patients with leishmaniasis referring to the Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center in Isfahan province during 2021-2022 were examined. Total DNA extraction procedures and conservation of site-specific multiplex PCR and nested PCR were performed for detecting Leishmania species. The molecular identification of LRV1 and LRV2 viruses, samples were used for total RNA extraction and real-time (RT)-PCR analysis, followed by conducting a restriction enzyme assay to confirm the PCR products. RESULTS Of the total Leishmania isolates, 54 and 8 isolates were identified as L. major and L. tropica, respectively. LRV2 was identified in 18 samples affected by L. major, while LRV1 was only detected in one of the samples with L. tropica. No LRV2 was found in any samples with L. tropica. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between LRV1 and the type of leishmaniasis (Sig. = 0.009, P ≤ 0.05), while this relationship was not observed between LRV2 and the type of leishmaniasis. CONCLUSIONS The presence of a significant number of LRV2 in isolated samples, as well as the recognition of LRV1 in one of the Old World leishmaniasis species, which is a new result, could pave the way for investigating further aspects of this disease and successful treatment strategies in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Zolfaghari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Keivan Beheshti-Maal
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Ali Mohammad Ahadi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Ramesh Monajemi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
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8
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Elimination of LRVs Elicits Different Responses in Leishmania spp. mSphere 2022; 7:e0033522. [PMID: 35943162 PMCID: PMC9429963 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00335-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniaviruses (LRVs) have been demonstrated to enhance progression of leishmaniasis, a vector-transmitted disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations that is caused by flagellates of the genus Leishmania. Here, we used two previously proposed strategies of the LRV ablation to shed light on the relationships of two Leishmania spp. with their respective viral species (L. guyanensis, LRV1 and L. major, LRV2) and demonstrated considerable difference between two studied systems. LRV1 could be easily eliminated by the expression of exogenous capsids regardless of their origin (the same or distantly related LRV1 strains, or even LRV2), while LRV2 was only partially depleted in the case of the native capsid overexpression. The striking differences were also observed in the effects of complete viral elimination with 2'C-methyladenosine (2-CMA) on the transcriptional profiles of these two Leishmania spp. While virtually no differentially expressed genes were detected after the LRV1 removal from L. guyanensis, the response of L. major after ablation of LRV2 involved 87 genes, the analysis of which suggested a considerable stress experienced even after several passages following the treatment. This effect on L. major was also reflected in a significant decrease of the proliferation rate, not documented in L. guyanensis and naturally virus-free strain of L. major. Our findings suggest that integration of L. major with LRV2 is deeper compared with that of L. guyanensis with LRV1. We presume this determines different effects of the viral presence on the Leishmania spp. infections. IMPORTANCELeishmania spp. represent human pathogens that cause leishmaniasis, a widespread parasitic disease with mild to fatal clinical manifestations. Some strains of leishmaniae bear leishmaniaviruses (LRVs), and this has been shown to aggravate disease course. We investigated the relationships of two distally related Leishmania spp. with their respective LRVs using different strategies of virus removal. Our results suggest the South American L. guyanensis easily loses its virus with no important consequences for the parasite in the laboratory culture. Conversely, the Old-World L. major is refractory to virus removal and experiences a prominent stress if this removal is nonetheless completed. The drastically different levels of integration between the studied Leishmania spp. and their viruses suggest distinct effects of the viral presence on infections in these species of parasites.
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Saberi R, Fakhar M, Hajjaran H, Abbaszadeh Afshar MJ, Mohebali M, Hezarjaribi HZ, Moghadam Y, Sharbatkhori M. Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) exacerbates dermal lesions caused by Leishmania major and comparatively unresponsive to meglumine antimoniate treatment. Exp Parasitol 2022; 241:108340. [PMID: 35932908 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study investigated the possible role of Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) in the severity of dermal lesions and treatment failure due to Leishmania major. METHODS The drug susceptibility of 14 clinical isolates of L.major, including resistant (n = 7) and sensitive (n = 7) isolates, was checked in the J774A.1 macrophage cell line. The presence of LRV2 among isolates was investigated by the RdRp gene and semi-nested PCR. Moreover, 1 × 106 sensitive L. major LRV2+ and LRV2- promastigotes were inoculated subcutaneously into the base tails of the 40 BALB/c mice divided into 4 groups (n = 10 in each group), including clinical LRV2+, clinical LRV2-, positive control LRV2+ and negative control LRV2-. The groups were infected with a unique isolate. The lesion size and parasite burden were evaluated. RESULTS Sensitive and resistant isolates were determined by the drug susceptibility method. A higher presence of LRV2 was observed among MA-resistant isolates (6/7) compared with susceptible isolates (4/7), which was not statistically significant (P = 0.237). On the other hand, a comparison of the lesion sizes between the LRV2+ and LRV2- BALB/c mice groups revealed that the mean size of the lesion in the LRV2+ groups was significantly higher than the LRV2- (P = 0.034). In the same direction, there was an increased parasite burden in mice inoculated with LRV2+ groups compared with the LRV2- BALB/c mice groups (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that the presence of LRV2 could be one of the factors contributing to exacerbating CL. Although we found a higher presence of LRV2 in the resistant isolates, it seems that further investigations are recommended to determine the detailed association between lesions' aggravation and being comparatively unresponsive to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Saberi
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hajar Ziaei Hezarjaribi
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Yusef Moghadam
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mitra Sharbatkhori
- Laboratory Sciences Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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10
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Moin-Vaziri V, Zare F, Seyyed Tabaei SJ, Saberi R, Hajjaran H. Successful Isolation of Leishmania RNA Virus (LRV) from Leishmania major in a Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Focus in Central Iran: An Update on Cases. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1290-1298. [PMID: 35773567 PMCID: PMC9245859 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00575-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major vector-borne disease that affects people globally, including Iran. Different factors are associated with leishmaniasis pathogenicity; recently, a link of the possible relationship between Leishmania RNA Virus (LRV) and disease severity was proposed, especially in the New World leishmaniasis (NWL). This study was aimed to investigate the presence of LRV2 in Leishmania isolates in Aran o Bidgol, Isfahan province. Methods Samples were collected from 110 CL-suspected patients referred to the health center. In this study, we aimed to investigate CL cases (parasitologically and clinically), identify Leishmania species (by ITS1-PCR–RFLP), and finally detection of LRV2 (by RdRp-semi-nested PCR). Results Parasitological methods showed 60 positive cases, based on the HaeIII enzyme restriction profile, 59 cases were caused by L. major and 1 case by L. tropica. Our project is the first study on LRV2 isolation in Aran o Bidgol city and the LRV was successfully detected from a single L. major isolated in a women’s hand lesion. Using BLAST, 94.8–100% similarity was observed in the RdRp sequence of current LRV isolate with those available in GenBank from Iran or overseas. Conclusion L. major was the main cause of CL in Aran o Bidgol, although L. tropica is also present in a much lower proportion in the area. This is the first report on the presence of LRV2 in Aran o Bidgol and the fifth in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahideh Moin-Vaziri
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Zare
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Javad Seyyed Tabaei
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Saberi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Shita EY, Semegn EN, Wubetu GY, Abitew AM, Andualem BG, Alemneh MG. Prevalence of Leishmania RNA virus in Leishmania parasites in patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010427. [PMID: 35675332 PMCID: PMC9236231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by different protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) was identified as the first Leishmania infecting virus in 1998. Different studies showed the presence and role of the LRV in Leishmania parasites causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). However, there is limited data on the pooled prevalence of LRV in Leishmania parasites causing CL. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the pooled prevalence of LRV in Leishmania parasite isolates and/or lesion biopsies in patients with CL from the available literature globally. Methodology We retrieved the studies from different electronic databases. The studies were screened and identified based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We excluded studies exclusively done in experimental animals and in vitro studies. The review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. The meta-analysis was performed with Stata software version 14 with metan command. The forest plot with random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence interval. Inverse variance index (I2) was used to assess the heterogeneity among the included articles. Principal findings A total of 1215 samples from 25 studies were included. Of these, 40.1% (487/1215) were positive for LRV. The overall pooled prevalence of LRV globally was 37.22% (95% CI: 27.54% - 46.90%). The pooled prevalence of LRV in the New World (NW) and Old World (OW) regions was 34.18% and 45.77%, respectively. Leishmania guyanensis, L. braziliensis, L. major, and L. tropica were the most studied species for the detection of LRV. The prevalence of LRV from Leishmania isolates and lesion biopsies was 42.9% (349/813) and 34.3% (138/402), respectively. Conclusion This systematic study revealed that there is high prevalence of LRV in Leishmania parasites isolated from patients with CL. More comprehensive studies would be required to investigate the presence of the LRV in other Leishmania species such as L. aethiopica to fully understand the role of LRV in different clinical manifestations and disease pathology presented in CL patients. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is among the most neglected tropical diseases affecting a significant proportion of the world population, impacting mostly on the poorest communities. CL can present as localized, mucocutaneous or diffuse cutaneous. There are various reports on the prevalence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) in Leishmania parasites and/or lesion biopsies in patients with CL from both the Old World and New World regions. However, there is scarcity of comprehensive knowledge on the pooled prevalence of the virus in Leishmania parasites causing human CL. We searched different electronic databases and Google Scholar for published articles aimed to determine the presence of LRV in Leishmania parasites and/or lesion biopsies in patients with CL globally. The retrieved articles were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion parameters. Data was extracted based on the PRISMA guideline by reviewing the selected articles. Systematic review and meta-analysis would be one way to improve the level of evidence by providing pooled prevalence of the individual single studies regarding the presence of LRV in Leishmania parasites and/or lesion biopsies. This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that a large proportion of the Leishmania parasites causing human CL harbour the endosymbiotic LRV. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of the virus in the clinical presentation of CL, as a potential target of treatment and vaccine development especially in Old World Leishmania parasites like L. aethiopica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endalew Yizengaw Shita
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Institute of Biotechnology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Endalkachew Nibret Semegn
- Institute of Biotechnology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Abaineh Munshea Abitew
- Institute of Biotechnology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Mekuanint Geta Alemneh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- Center for innovative Drug development and Therapeutic trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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12
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Farrokhi-Karibozorg M, Ghayour-Najafabadi Z, Hejazi SH, Ataei-Pirkooh A, Mohebali M, Teimouri P, Hajjaran H. Molecular identification of Leishmania RNA virus in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and rodent reservoirs in Isfahan province, Iran. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 98:105222. [PMID: 35066166 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is a double-strand RNA virus that was first detected in members of the Leishmania viannia in the New World. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of LRV in the Leishmania species isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients and rodents as reservoirs in Isfahan province an old zoonotic CL focus, center of Iran. Totally, 85 samples were collected from CL patients (n = 80) and rodent reservoirs (n = 5) from different regions of Isfahan province. Species identification was determined using the PCR-RFLP method. Viral dsRNA was extracted and for observation of 5.3 kb dsRNA on an agarose gel. The presence of LRV was surveyed using the Semi-nested PCR method. For phylogenetic analyzes, 6 samples of 13 isolates were sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was drawn by MEGA7 version 7.0.26. Of 80 Leishmania isolates recovered from the patients with CL, 79 and only one were identified as L. major and L. tropica, respectively. Also, the PCR assays detected four L. major and one L. turanica in five assessed Rhombomys opimus as the rodent reservoirs. LRV was detected only in Leishmania species isolated from 13 species of 85 (15.3%) CL including (L. major, n = 12) and (L. tropica, n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis showed that they were belonged to LRV2 and had the highest similarity with Iranian reference LRV2 in GenBank. Our results showed that the LRV2 was present in cutaneous Leishmania species in Isfahan province is the most historical and touristic province of Iran. In the study LRV was not reported from rodent reservoirs, it may be due to the small sample size. Phylogenetic analysis of current sequences demonstrated that these isolates belong to the registered LRV2 of the Old World.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Farrokhi-Karibozorg
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Ghayour-Najafabadi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Seyed Hossein Hejazi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Center for Research in Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Angila Ataei-Pirkooh
- Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Clinical Virology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parvin Teimouri
- Navab Safavi Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Analyses of Leishmania-LRV Co-Phylogenetic Patterns and Evolutionary Variability of Viral Proteins. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112305. [PMID: 34835111 PMCID: PMC8624691 DOI: 10.3390/v13112305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania spp. are important pathogens causing a vector-borne disease with a broad range of clinical manifestations from self-healing ulcers to the life-threatening visceral forms. Presence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) confers survival advantage to these parasites by suppressing anti-leishmanial immunity in the vertebrate host. The two viral species, LRV1 and LRV2 infect species of the subgenera Viannia and Leishmania, respectively. In this work we investigated co-phylogenetic patterns of leishmaniae and their viruses on a small scale (LRV2 in L. major) and demonstrated their predominant coevolution, occasionally broken by intraspecific host switches. Our analysis of the two viral genes, encoding the capsid and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP), revealed them to be under the pressure of purifying selection, which was considerably stronger for the former gene across the whole tree. The selective pressure also differs between the LRV clades and correlates with the frequency of interspecific host switches. In addition, using experimental (capsid) and predicted (RDRP) models we demonstrated that the evolutionary variability across the structure is strikingly different in these two viral proteins.
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14
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Gabriel ÁM, Galué-Parra A, Pereira WLA, Pedersen KW, da Silva EO. Leishmania 360°: Guidelines for Exosomal Research. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2081. [PMID: 34683402 PMCID: PMC8537887 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites are a group of kinetoplastid pathogens that cause a variety of clinical disorders while maintaining cell communication by secreting extracellular vesicles. Emerging technologies have been adapted for the study of Leishmania-host cell interactions, to enable the broad-scale analysis of the extracellular vesicles of this parasite. Leishmania extracellular vesicles (LEVs) are spheroidal nanoparticles of polydispersed suspensions surrounded by a layer of lipid membrane. Although LEVs have attracted increasing attention from researchers, many aspects of their biology remain unclear, including their bioavailability and function in the complex molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. Given the importance of LEVs in the parasite-host interaction, and in the parasite-parasite relationships that have emerged during the evolutionary history of these organisms, the present review provides an overview of the available data on Leishmania, and formulates guidelines for LEV research. We conclude by reporting direct methods for the isolation of specific LEVs from the culture supernatant of the promastigotes and amastigotes that are suitable for a range of different downstream applications, which increases the compatibility and reproducibility of the approach for the establishment of optimal and comparable isolation conditions and the complete characterization of the LEV, as well as the critical immunomodulatory events triggered by this important group of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áurea Martins Gabriel
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of NOVA University of Lisbon, IHMT-UNL, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratory of Structural Biology of Institute of Biological Sciences of Federal University of Pará, Av. Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.G.-P.); (E.O.d.S.)
| | - Adan Galué-Parra
- Laboratory of Structural Biology of Institute of Biological Sciences of Federal University of Pará, Av. Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.G.-P.); (E.O.d.S.)
| | | | | | - Edilene Oliveira da Silva
- Laboratory of Structural Biology of Institute of Biological Sciences of Federal University of Pará, Av. Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (A.G.-P.); (E.O.d.S.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Structural Biology and Bioimaging, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
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15
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Hajjaran H, Saberi R, Borjian A, Fakhar M, Hosseini SA, Ghodrati S, Mohebali M. The Geographical Distribution of Human Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmania Species Identified by Molecular Methods in Iran: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Public Health 2021; 9:661674. [PMID: 34249836 PMCID: PMC8267797 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.661674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the most common vector-borne parasitic diseases in Iran. Leishmania species identification is necessary for epidemiological aspects, precise prognosis, control and treatment of the disease. We systematically searched all the studies, reports, and documentation related to species identification and geographical distribution of causative agents of cutaneous (CL), mucosal (ML), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using DNA-based molecular diagnostic techniques in Iran. International databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science were systemically searched for English articles and Iran's databases including SID, IranMedex and Magiran were searched for Persian reports and articles. Searches were performed from 1999 to 2019 (20 years). The current review was conducted using the keywords: cutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, Leishmania species, Human, Molecular, PCR, and Iran. The study quality was evaluated using the NOS checklist. This meta-analysis procedure was accomplished using STATA, version 2.7.9. Of the 3,426 records identified in the initial search, 154 articles met inclusion criteria and qualified for the systematic review and meta-analysis. In subgroup analysis, the pooled frequency of causative agents of CL isolates was 67.3% (95% CI: 59.51–74.67%) for L. major and 32.1% (95% CI: 24.72–39.87%) for L. tropica. In addition, the pooled frequency of causative agents of VL isolates was 97.1% (95% CI: 94.6–98.8%) for L. infantum and 2.9% (95% CI: 1.12–5.37%) for L. tropica. The findings of this study showed that the main causative agents of CL and VL in Iran are L. major and L. infantum, respectively. Moreover, kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and internal transcriber spacer (ITS) were the most used markers for identifying Leishmania species. The current study provides valuable data to encourage and direct researchers as well as public health managers in the comprehensive leishmaniasis control and prevention planning in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Saberi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Alireza Borjian
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Sajjad Ghodrati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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16
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The Maze Pathway of Coevolution: A Critical Review over the Leishmania and Its Endosymbiotic History. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050657. [PMID: 33925663 PMCID: PMC8146029 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The description of the genus Leishmania as the causative agent of leishmaniasis occurred in the modern age. However, evolutionary studies suggest that the origin of Leishmania can be traced back to the Mesozoic era. Subsequently, during its evolutionary process, it achieved worldwide dispersion predating the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent. It is assumed that this parasite evolved from monoxenic Trypanosomatidae. Phylogenetic studies locate dixenous Leishmania in a well-supported clade, in the recently named subfamily Leishmaniinae, which also includes monoxenous trypanosomatids. Virus-like particles have been reported in many species of this family. To date, several Leishmania species have been reported to be infected by Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) and Leishbunyavirus (LBV). Since the first descriptions of LRVs decades ago, differences in their genomic structures have been highlighted, leading to the designation of LRV1 in L. (Viannia) species and LRV2 in L. (Leishmania) species. There are strong indications that viruses that infect Leishmania spp. have the ability to enhance parasitic survival in humans as well as in experimental infections, through highly complex and specialized mechanisms. Phylogenetic analyses of these viruses have shown that their genomic differences correlate with the parasite species infected, suggesting a coevolutionary process. Herein, we will explore what has been described in the literature regarding the relationship between Leishmania and endosymbiotic Leishmania viruses and what is known about this association that could contribute to discussions about the worldwide dispersion of Leishmania.
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