Structure of tyrosine aminotransferase from Leishmania infantum.

The trypanosomatid parasite Leishmania infantum is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is usually fatal unless treated. VL has an incidence of 0.5 million cases every year and is an important opportunistic co-infection in HIV/AIDS. Tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) has an important role in the metabolism of trypanosomatids, catalyzing the first step in the degradation pathway of aromatic amino acids, which are ultimately converted into their corresponding L-2-oxoacids. Unlike the enzyme in Trypanosoma cruzi and mammals, L. infantum TAT (LiTAT) is not able to transaminate ketoglutarate. Here, the structure of LiTAT at 2.35 Å resolution is reported, and it is confirmed that the presence of two Leishmania-specific residues (Gln55 and Asn58) explains, at least in part, this specific reactivity. The difference in substrate specificity between leishmanial and mammalian TAT and the importance of this enzyme in parasite metabolism suggest that it may be a useful target in the development of new drugs against leishmaniasis.

Antibiotic resistance free plasmid DNA expressing LACK protein leads towards a protective Th1 response against Leishmania infantum infection.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis is a serious public health concern in the Mediterranean basin since dogs are the main Leishmania infantum reservoir. However, there is not a vaccination method in veterinary use in this area, and therefore the development of a vaccine against this parasite is essential for the possible control of the disease. Previous reports have shown the efficacy of heterologous prime-boost vaccination with the pCIneo plasmid and the poxvirus VV (both Western Reserve and MVA strains) expressing L. infantum LACK antigen against canine leishmaniasis. As pCIneo-LACK plasmid contains antibiotic resistance genes, its use as a profilactic method is not recommended. Hence, the antibiotic resistance gene free pORT-LACK plasmid is a more suitable tool for its use as a vaccine. Here we report the protective and immunostimulatory effect of the prime-boost pORT-LACK/MVA-LACK vaccination tested in a canine experimental model. Vaccination induced a reduction in clinical signs and in parasite burden in the liver, an induction of the Leishmania-specific T cell activation, as well as an increase of the expression of Th1 type cytokines in PBMC and target organs.