Evaluation of the Photodynamic Therapy with Curcumin on L. braziliensis and L. major Amastigotes

Author(s)

Pereira, Andre Henrique Correia ^[1] ; Marcolino, Luciana Maria Cortez ^[1] ; Pinto, Juliana Guerra ^[1] ; Ferreira-Strixino, Juliana ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Vale Paraiba, Photobios Photobiol Appl Hlth, BR-2911 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ANTIBIOTICS-BASEL; v. 10, n. 6 JUN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease prevalent in tropical countries with the ability to cause skin lesions. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a specific and topical option for the treatment of these lesions. This study evaluated the response of macrophages infected with L. braziliensis and L. major to PDT with curcumin. Curcumin concentrations were evaluated in serial dilutions from 500.0 to 7.8 mu g/mL using LED (lambda = 450 +/- 5 nm), with a light dose of 10 J/cm(2). The Trypan blue viability test, ultrastructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mitochondrial polarity by Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123), curcumin internalization by confocal microscopy, and counting of the recovered parasites after the PDT treatment were performed. The lowest concentrations of curcumin (15.6 and 7.8 mu g/mL) presented photodynamic inactivation. Cell destruction and internalization of curcumin in both macrophages and intracellular parasites were observed in microscopy techniques. In addition, an increase in mitochondrial membrane polarity and a decrease in the number of parasites recovered was observed in the PDT groups. This study indicates that PDT with curcumin has the potential to inactivate infected macrophages and might act as a basis for future in vivo studies using the parameters herein discussed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/12211-4 - Study of the genotoxic effect, the membrane potential and cell death pathways of curcumin in photodynamic therapy in promastigote and amastigote forms of L. major and L. braziliensis: in vitro
• Grantee: Juliana Ferreira Strixino
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/07276-1 - CEPOF - Optics and Photonic Research Center
• Grantee: Vanderlei Salvador Bagnato
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC