In Vitro Study on Four Types of Commercial Lectins on Leishmania infantum, L. major and L. tropica with Stage-Specific Binding and Leishmania Species Identification

We aimed to verify the susceptibility of Leishmania infantum, L. major and L. tropica, to commercial lectins in order to identify the three Leishmania species.

The degree of agglutination was determined both macroscopically and microscopically and was scored negative (-) to positive (from 1+- 4+) based on their percentage of agglutination.

Jacalin and UEA-1 were capable of agglutination of L. infantum isolates in both logarithmic and stationary phases at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml (100%). L. tropica isolates showed agglutination with the lectin UEA-1 in both logarithmic and stationary phases (62.5% and 87.5%). L. major and L. tropica showed 75% agglutination with lectin Jacalin in both logarithmic and stationary phases. L. tropica isolates showed 25% agglutination with the lectin WGA in the logarithmic phase. L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica isolates showed 25, 12.5 and 37.5% agglutination in the stationary phase, however, did not show agglutination in logarithmic phases. L. major isolates showed 12.5% agglutination with the lectin PHA in the stationary phase, however, were incapable of agglutination with the L. tropica and L. infantum in both logarithmic and stationary phases.

Despite the fact, that JCA and I-UEA lectins were not able to completely separate L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica. WGA lectin and PHA lectin can help in separating the species of Leishmania parasites.