Analysis of A2 gene in dermo tropic and viscerotropic isolates of Iranian Leishmania tropica

Leishmaniasis is a disease in tropical regions, that includes a wide range of clinical protests, from skin lesions to fatal visceral infections. A2 gene is accounted as one of the most reliable genetic factors cause visceral form. This gene is a single copy without functional expression in the species causing skin form of the disease such as L. major and L. tropica. The aim of our study is to evaluate A2 gene sequence in the strains that cause skin form of disease and compare it with other   exception strains of the Leishmania tropica strains in Iran.

Leishmania species were detected using ITS1 and ITS2. The parasites were injected into BALB/c mice and monitored of footpad inflammation in BALB/c mice. after a certain period of time the mice were killed and their visceral organs were examined for the presence of parasites.  Finally, A2 gene sequence analyzed.

A2 gene in a strain causing visceral form was different to a gel electrophoresis pattern of skin form causing strains. Also, the gel electrophoresis pattern of A2 gene in strains causing skin form was different to previous reports of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The results of this recent experiment showed that the gel electrophoresis pattern of A2 gene in especial strains causing viseral form was similar to previous reports of visceral leishmaniasis. It seems that this gene may play an important role in the visceral ability of specific strains of Leishmania tropica.