Topic
Lipophosphoglycan
About: Lipophosphoglycan is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 421 publications have been published within this topic receiving 23837 citations.
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851 citations
TL;DR: This work investigated the release of NETs by human neutrophils upon their interaction with Leishmania parasites and NETs' ability to kill this protozoan and found an innate response that might contribute to diminish parasite burden in the Leishmaniasis inoculation site.
Abstract: Neutrophils are short-lived leukocytes that die by apoptosis, necrosis, and NETosis. Upon death by NETosis, neutrophils release fibrous traps of DNA, histones, and granule proteins named neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which can kill bacteria and fungi. Inoculation of the protozoan Leishmania into the mammalian skin causes local inflammation with neutrophil recruitment. Here, we investigated the release of NETs by human neutrophils upon their interaction with Leishmania parasites and NETs' ability to kill this protozoan. The NET constituents DNA, elastase, and histones were detected in traps associated to promastigotes by immunofluorescence. Electron microscopy revealed that Leishmania was ensnared by NETs released by neutrophils. Moreover, Leishmania and its surface lipophosphoglycan induced NET release by neutrophils in a parasite number- and dose-dependent manner. Disruption of NETs by DNase treatment during Leishmania-neutrophil interaction increased parasite survival, evidencing NETs' leishmanicidal effect. Leishmania killing was also elicited by NET-rich supernatants from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-activated neutrophils. Immunoneutralization of histone during Leishmania-neutrophil interaction partially reverted Leishmania killing, and purified histone killed the parasites. Meshes composed of DNA and elastase were evidenced in biopsies of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. NET is an innate response that might contribute to diminish parasite burden in the Leishmania inoculation site.
507 citations
TL;DR: The structural aspects of lipophosphoglycan and its possible functions and biosynthesis are emphasized and implicated in a surprisingly large number of functions that may contribute the the parasite's pathogenesis.
Abstract: Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania have the remarkable ability to avoid destruction in the hostile environments they encounter throughout their life cycle. The molecular details of how these pathogens persevere with impunity under harsh conditions are beginning to be understood. The fact that Leishmania parasites have adapted to not only survive, but to proliferate probably is due to the protection conferred by specialized molecules on the parasite's cell surface. One such macromolecule is a novel glycoconjugate called lipophosphoglycan. This heterogeneous, lipid-containing polysaccharide is the major surface molecule of the parasite and has been implicated in a surprisingly large number of functions that may contribute to the parasite's pathogenesis. This review emphasizes the structural aspects of lipophosphoglycan and its possible functions and biosynthesis.
473 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that NK cells are capable of recognition of, and activation by, Leishmania LPG through TLR-2, enabling them to participate autonomously in the innate immune system and thereby increasing the effective destruction of the parasite.
341 citations
TL;DR: A simple density gradient centrifugation method is described, which allows the rapid purification of infective metacyclic parasites from both wild-type and LPG-deficient Leishmania major and suggests that this method is applicable to other LeishMania species including L. donovani.
340 citations