The structure and repertoire of small interfering RNAs in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis reveal diversification in the trypanosomatid RNAi pathway

by Vanessa D Atayde , † Huafang Shi , Joseph B Franklin , Nicholas Carriero , Timothy Notton , Lon-Fye Lye , Katherine Owens , Stephen M Beverley , Christian Tschudi , Elisabetta Ullu
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Leishmania aethiopica Field Isolates Bearing an Endosymbiontic dsRNA Virus Induce Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Response

by Haroun Zangger , Asrat Hailu , Chantal Desponds , Lon-Fye Lye , Natalia S Akopyants , Deborah E Dobson , Catherine Ronet , Hashim Ghalib , Stephen M Beverley , Nicolas Fasel
"... Abstract Background: Infection with Leishmania parasites causes mainly cutaneous lesions at the site of the sand fly bite. Inflammatory metastatic forms have been reported with Leishmania species such as L. braziliensis, guyanensis and aethiopica. Little is known about the factors underlying such e ..."
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Abstract Background: Infection with Leishmania parasites causes mainly cutaneous lesions at the site of the sand fly bite. Inflammatory metastatic forms have been reported with Leishmania species such as L. braziliensis, guyanensis and aethiopica. Little is known about the factors underlying such exacerbated clinical presentations. Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is mainly found within South American Leishmania braziliensis and guyanensis. In a mouse model of L. guyanensis infection, its presence is responsible for an hyper-inflammatory response driven by the recognition of the viral dsRNA genome by the host Toll-like Receptor 3 leading to an exacerbation of the disease. In one instance, LRV was reported outside of South America, namely in the L. major ASKH strain from Turkmenistan, suggesting that LRV appeared before the divergence of Leishmania subgenera. LRV presence inside Leishmania parasites could be one of the factors implicated in disease severity, providing rationale for LRV screening in L. aethiopica.
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