Article
Functional transcriptomics of wild-caught Lutzomyia intermedia salivary glands: identification of a protective Salivary protein against Leishmania braziliensis infection
Registro en:
MOURA, T. R. de et al. Functional transcriptomics of wild-caught Lutzomyia intermedia salivary glands: identification of a protective Salivary protein against Leishmania braziliensis infection. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Online), v.7, n. 5, p. e2242-e2257, 2013.
1935-2727
10.1371/journal.pntd.0002242
Autor
Moura, Tatiana Rodrigues de
Oliveira, Fabiano
Carneiro, Marcia Weber
Miranda, José Carlos
Clarêncio, Jorge
Barral Netto, Manoel
Brodskyn, Claudia Ida
Barral, Aldina Maria Prado
Ribeiro, José Marcos Chaves
Valenzuela, Jesus G
Oliveira, Camila Indiani de
Resumen
Background: Leishmania parasites are transmitted in the presence of sand fly saliva. Together with the parasite, the sand fly
injects salivary components that change the environment at the feeding site. Mice immunized with Phlebotomus papatasi
salivary gland (SG) homogenate are protected against Leishmania major infection, while immunity to Lutzomyia intermedia
SG homogenate exacerbated experimental Leishmania braziliensis infection. In humans, antibodies to Lu. intermedia saliva
are associated with risk of acquiring L. braziliensis infection. Despite these important findings, there is no information
regarding the repertoire of Lu. intermedia salivary proteins.
Methods and Findings: A cDNA library from the Salivary Glands (SGs) of wild-caught Lu. intermedia was constructed,
sequenced, and complemented by a proteomic approach based on 1D SDS PAGE and mass/mass spectrometry to validate
the transcripts present in this cDNA library. We identified the most abundant transcripts and proteins reported in other sand
fly species as well as novel proteins such as neurotoxin-like proteins, peptides with ML domain, and three small peptides
found so far only in this sand fly species. DNA plasmids coding for ten selected transcripts were constructed and used to
immunize BALB/c mice to study their immunogenicity. Plasmid Linb-11—coding for a 4.5-kDa protein—induced a cellular
immune response and conferred protection against L. braziliensis infection. This protection correlated with a decreased
parasite load and an increased frequency of IFN-c-producing cells.
Conclusions: We identified the most abundant and novel proteins present in the SGs of Lu. intermedia, a vector of
cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Americas. We also show for the first time that immunity to a single salivary protein from Lu.
intermedia can protect against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. braziliensis.