The Functional Role of Exosomes in Leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis is a human parasitic disease that causes fatalities throughout many countries worldwide. It is caused by some species of Leishmania parasites, including L. infantum. Leishmania remain exclusively inside phagosomes of cells of the infected person. Despite this localization, parasites exert dramatic effects on immune responses, widely compromising host response. The mechanics allowing this are not currently understood.

The focus of my project are exosomes, tiny membrane-bound vesicles released from parasites containing contain the protein and RNA components. I am investigating their ability to spread widely through the host and lead to dysfunctional host immunity during L. infantum infection. Current investigations include the characterization of exosome contents through proteomics and RNA sequencing as well as tracking the interactions of parasite exosomes with the host cell by detecting fluorescently marked exosomes released from transfectant parasites using confocal microscopy. Improved understanding of the functional role of exosomes in leishmaniasis could uncover pathways that lead to improved treatment approaches as well as new approaches to non-invasive diagnostic tests.