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Transgenic Leishmania donovani clinical isolates expressing GFP- constitutively for rapid and reliable ex-vivo drug screening

IR@CDRI: CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow

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Field Value
 
Creator Nasib Singh, Reema Gupta
Jaiswal, A K
Sundar, Shyam
Dube, Anuradha
 
Date 2010-09-20T11:11:29Z
2010-09-20T11:11:29Z
2009
 
Identifier Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 64(2), 2009, 370-374
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/612
 
Description Objectives: Several Leishmania strains with episomal expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) require constant drug pressure for its continuous expression and hence limit its use for ex-vivo or in-vivo system. The aim of this study was to alleviate this problem by stably integrating the GFP gene into the parasite genome so as to use these transfectants for ex-vivo and in-vivo drug screening. Methods: The GFP gene was integrated at downstream of 18S ribosomal promoter region. The GFP expressing parasites both Sodium Stibogluconate (SAG) susceptible (2001) and resistant isolates (2039) after initial selection were grown without adding G 418. The infectivity of these transfectants to macrophages (J 774.1) as well as to hamsters was checked. The ex-vivo screening assay was standardized using standard antileishmanial drugs. Results: A constitutive and enhanced expression of GFP in promastigote and amastigote stages was achieved for about 12 months without any need of drug pressure. These were highly infective to macrophage cell lines as well as to hamsters as observed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FACS). GFP tagged promastigotes as well as intracellular amastigotes were found to be highly susceptible to all antileishmanials viz. miltefosine, amphotericin B and pentamidine in a concentration-dependent manner except SAG which was inactive against the GFP-Promastigotes as well as SAG resistant intracellular amastigotes correlating well with earlier reports. Conclusions: The GFP-transfectants were found suitable for FACS-based ex-vivo screening assays. These were also infective to hamsters upto day 60 p.i.
 
Format 539739 bytes
application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Subject Stable integration
Green fluorescent protein
Leishmania clinical isolates
hamsters
ex-vivo antileishmanial screening
 
Title Transgenic Leishmania donovani clinical isolates expressing GFP- constitutively for rapid and reliable ex-vivo drug screening
 
Type Article