EOSINOPHIL CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY IN LEISHMANIA-AMAZONENSIS PROMASTIGOTES

Tissue eosinophilia was observed in the subcutaneous tissue of mice sh ortly after their inoculation not only with living but also with lysed promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis. Intraperitoneal inoculation of lysed promastigotes from five different Leishmania species (L. dono vani, L. chagasi, L. tropica, L. amazonensis, and L. braziliensis) ind uced eosinophil accumulation in the mouse peritoneum. This eosinophil infiltration was also detected in C5-deficient AKR mice, indicating co mplement independent eosinophil chemotaxis by the parasite. The induce d eosinophils were hypodense, suggesting activation of the cells. Fina lly, we demonstrated in vitro eosinophil chemotactic activity in the p romastigote lysates using purified eosinophils and blind well chambers . These results suggest the presence of an eosinophil chemotactic fact or in Leishmania, a protozoan parasite.