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Cell structure and cytokinesis alterations in multidrug-resistant Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

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Abstract

Multidrug-resistant Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis may be obtained by in vitro selection with vinblastine. In order to determine whether this phenotype is linked to structural alterations, we analyzed the cell architecture by electron microscopy. The vinblastine resistant CL2 clone of L. (L.) amazonensis, but not wild-type parasites, showed a cytokinesis dysfunction. The CL2 promastigotes had multiple nuclei, kinetoplasts and flagella, suggesting that vinblastine resistance may be associated with truncated cell division. The subpellicular microtubule plasma membrane connection was also affected. Wild-type parasites treated with vinblastine displayed similar alterations, presenting lobulated and multinucleated cells. Taken together, these data indicate that antimicrotubule drug-selected parasites may show evidence of the mutation of cytoskeleton proteins, impairing normal cell function.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr. Claudio P. Figueira for technical assistance. This project was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Programa de Núcleos de Excelência (PRONEX/MCT), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB). All the experiments performed here comply with Brazilian law and FIOCRUZ—Ministry of Health guidelines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Salvador, BA, Brazil

    V. M. Borges & M. A. Vannier-Santos

  2. Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    U. G. Lopes & W. De Souza

  3. Laboratório de Biomorfologia Parasitária e Microscopia Eletrônica, Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (CPqGM-FIOCRUZ), Rua Waldemar Falcão 121, Brotas, 40295-001, Salvador, Bahia , Brazil

    M. A. Vannier-Santos

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  1. V. M. Borges
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  2. U. G. Lopes
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  3. W. De Souza
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  4. M. A. Vannier-Santos
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Correspondence to M. A. Vannier-Santos.

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Borges, V.M., Lopes, U.G., De Souza, W. et al. Cell structure and cytokinesis alterations in multidrug-resistant Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. Parasitol Res 95, 90–96 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1248-8

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