The study of P-glycoprotein A, G-glutamylcysteine synthetase 1, and aquaglyceroporin 1 genes expression in non-healing zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis cases

Background and aims: Regarding the increasing numbers of clinical antimonial-resistant Leishmaniasis, understanding the reasons for drug resistance is helpful. This study aimed to find the expression level of the genes related to resistance, P-glycoprotein A (PgpA), G-glutamylcysteine synthetase 1 (Gsh1), and aquaglyceroporin 1 (Aqp1) in antimonial-resistant clinical isolates. Methods: Samples were isolated from leishmaniasis ulcers of 10 non-healing patients and the species were identified by the nestedpolymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In vitro experiments were performed using the amastigote-macrophage model by J774 cell line, and in vivo studies were conducted by animal model, the Balb/c mice. Finally, the values of genes expression were determined by quantitative-reverse transcription (q-RT) real-time PCR method and then compared with non-resistant Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER). Results: Molecular identification showed that all isolated protozoa were L. major. The isolated samples from clinical resistant patients represented no increase in expression in the tested resistance genes (P 0.05). Finally, it was found that the lack of improvements in patients was not associated with the increased expression of resistance genes. Conclusion: In general, no inherent resistance was observed in the tested samples neither a correlation between the healing of lesions and the level of genes expression.