MAPPING OF GENES-CONTROLLING LEISHMANIA-MAJOR INFECTION IN CXS RECOMBINANT INBRED MICE

Previous studies demonstrated that growth of the primary lesion follow ing Leishmania major infection in inbred mice comes under the control of a single major gene designated Scl-1. Preliminary mapping studies h ad suggested a chromosome 8 location for the gene. In this paper a mor e detailed study of different disease phenotypes (lesion growth, splen omegaly, liver parasite load) in 14 CXS recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains was undertaken in order to obtain a more definitive map locati on for the gene. Using the Kruskal-Wallis generalization of the Wilcox on Rank-Sum Test to assign RI strains to parental phenotypes, high con cordances with genes at the mid (Il-3) to distal end (Dlb-1, Hox-2, Si gje, Mtv-3 and Es-3) of chromosome 11 were demonstrated with two strai ns (LV39 and NIH173) of L. major given as promastigotes subcutaneously into the shaven rump. The results suggest that the most likely locati on for the previously described single major gene (Scl-1) regulating e arly lesion expansion is at the distal end of mouse chromosome 11, wit h the possibility that a gene located more proximally influences later phases of the infection.