Abstract

The overall objective of this project is to evaluate recombinant interferon gamma as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of diseases caused by intracellular microorganisms. Specifically, we will determine if the combination of interferon gamma and standard chemotherapy will accelerate healing in patients with lepromatous leprosy and tegumentary leishmaniasis. Functional and phenotypic studies of peripheral blood and intralesional mononuclear cells before and after therapy will characterize the immunopathology and be correlated with clinical responses.
The specific aims are as follows: 1) To investigate the efficacy and safety of the combination of interferon gamma and antimony therapy in the treatment of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. 2) To evaluate the adjuvant effect of interferon gamma and low-dose antimony therapy in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis and development of mucosal lesions caused by Leishmania viannia braziliensis (Lvb). 3) To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of interferon gamma and current standard therapy in the treatment of lepromatous leprosy. 4) To correlate changes in the responses of T cells in cutaneous lesions and peripheral blood with clinical responses to selected therapies.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Specialized Center (P50)
Project #
5P50AI030639-04
Application #
3747156
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Federal University of Bahia
Department
Type
DUNS #
900845397
City
Salvador
State
Country
Brazil
Zip Code
40110-160

  Publications

Sousa, Rosana; Andrade, Viviane M; Bair, Thomas et al. (2018) Early Suppression of Macrophage Gene Expression by Leishmania braziliensis. Front Microbiol 9:2464
Silva, Silvana C; Guimarães, Luiz Henrique; Silva, Juliana A et al. (2018) Molecular epidemiology and in vitro evidence suggest that Leishmania braziliensis strain helps determine antimony response among American tegumenary leishmaniasis patients. Acta Trop 178:34-39
Teixeira, D G; Monteiro, G R G; Martins, D R A et al. (2017) Comparative analyses of whole genome sequences of Leishmania infantum isolates from humans and dogs in northeastern Brazil. Int J Parasitol 47:655-665
Lima, Josivan Gomes; Nobrega, Lucia Helena C; Lima, Natalia Nobrega et al. (2017) Normal bone density and trabecular bone score, but high serum sclerostin in congenital generalized lipodystrophy. Bone 101:21-25
Lima, Ádila L M; de Lima, Iraci D; Coutinho, José F V et al. (2017) Changing epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in northeastern Brazil: a 25-year follow-up of an urban outbreak. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 111:440-447
Kelly, Patrick H; Bahr, Sarah M; Serafim, Tiago D et al. (2017) The Gut Microbiome of the Vector Lutzomyia longipalpis Is Essential for Survival of Leishmania infantum. MBio 8:
Gimblet, Ciara; Meisel, Jacquelyn S; Loesche, Michael A et al. (2017) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Induces a Transmissible Dysbiotic Skin Microbiota that Promotes Skin Inflammation. Cell Host Microbe 22:13-24.e4
Almeida, Lucas; Silva, Juliana A; Andrade, Viviane M et al. (2017) Analysis of expression of FLI1 and MMP1 in American cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania braziliensis infection. Infect Genet Evol 49:212-220
Weirather, Jason L; Duggal, Priya; Nascimento, Eliana L et al. (2017) Comprehensive candidate gene analysis for symptomatic or asymptomatic outcomes of Leishmania infantum infection in Brazil. Ann Hum Genet 81:41-48
Novais, Fernanda O; Carvalho, Augusto M; Clark, Megan L et al. (2017) CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity mediates pathology in the skin by inflammasome activation and IL-1? production. PLoS Pathog 13:e1006196

Showing the most recent 10 out of 85 publications