Leishmania braziliensis infection enhances adipokine and cytokine production and severity of cutaneous leishmaniasis in patients with obesity
5 affiliations
- 1Post Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
- 2Laboratory of Clinical Research, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Fiocruz, Salvador, Brazil
- 3Immunology Service, Hospital Prof. Edgard Santos, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
- 4Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Fiocruz, Salvador, Brazil
- 5Universidade Estadual da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is more severe in obese individuals than in lean individuals. Here, we investigated the contribution of adipose tissue to the severity of CL in 39 obese and 43 lean patients with CL, along with 8 healthy subjects. Skin and subcutaneous biopsies were evaluated by histopathology and cytokine/adipokine analysis. Obese patients showed a lower response rate to antimony therapy (41% vs 70.4%) and longer healing times (P < .05). Histopathological analysis revealed denser dermal and subcutaneous inflammatory infiltrates in obese patients, which were predominantly composed of macrophages and lymphocytes, associated with high adipose tissue production of CCL-2. Obese patients exhibited increased dermal expression of TNF, IL-1β, IL-17, and granzyme B, all markers associated with disease severity. Leptin levels correlated positively with these inflammatory mediators, and leptin neutralization reduced their production. Leishmania infection also altered adipokine profiles: adiponectin levels were 10.5-fold higher in lean patients with CL than in lean healthy subjects, while leptin levels were 3.1-fold higher in obese patients with CL than in obese healthy subjects (P < .05). These findings indicate that in Leishmania braziliensis infection, adipocytes and dermal cells drive inflammatory cell infiltration into both subcutaneous and dermal compartments, accompanied by marked adipokine and cytokine production that amplifies tissue pathology.
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BibTeX
@article{nassri2026leishmania,
title = {{Leishmania braziliensis infection enhances adipokine and cytokine production and severity of cutaneous leishmaniasis in patients with obesity}},
author = {Kelly Morais Lima Nassri and Augusto M. Carvalho and Tainã S. Lago and Maurício T. Nascimento and Carla Silva Dias and Jamile S. Lago and Paulo R.L. Machado and Alexsandro S. Lago and Andréa Santos Magalhães and Sérgio Marcos Arruda and Lucas P. Carvalho and Edgar M. Carvalho},
journal = {JID Innovations},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.xjidi.2026.100543},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjidi.2026.100543},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Leishmania braziliensis infection enhances adipokine and cytokine production and severity of cutaneous leishmaniasis in patients with obesity
AU - Kelly Morais Lima Nassri
AU - Augusto M. Carvalho
AU - Tainã S. Lago
AU - Maurício T. Nascimento
AU - Carla Silva Dias
AU - Jamile S. Lago
AU - Paulo R.L. Machado
AU - Alexsandro S. Lago
AU - Andréa Santos Magalhães
AU - Sérgio Marcos Arruda
AU - Lucas P. Carvalho
AU - Edgar M. Carvalho
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - JID Innovations
DO - 10.1016/j.xjidi.2026.100543
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjidi.2026.100543
AB - Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is more severe in obese individuals than in lean individuals. Here, we investigated the contribution of adipose tissue to the severity of CL in 39 obese and 43 lean patients with CL, along with 8 healthy subjects. Skin and subcutaneous biopsies were evaluated by histopathology and cytokine/adipokine analysis. Obese patients showed a lower response rate to antimony therapy (41% vs 70.4%) and longer healing times (P < .05). Histopathological analysis revealed denser dermal and subcutaneous inflammatory infiltrates in obese patients, which were predominantly composed of macrophages and lymphocytes, associated with high adipose tissue production of CCL-2. Obese patients exhibited increased dermal expression of TNF, IL-1β, IL-17, and granzyme B, all markers associated with disease severity. Leptin levels correlated positively with these inflammatory mediators, and leptin neutralization reduced their production. Leishmania infection also altered adipokine profiles: adiponectin levels were 10.5-fold higher in lean patients with CL than in lean healthy subjects, while leptin levels were 3.1-fold higher in obese patients with CL than in obese healthy subjects (P < .05). These findings indicate that in Leishmania braziliensis infection, adipocytes and dermal cells drive inflammatory cell infiltration into both subcutaneous and dermal compartments, accompanied by marked adipokine and cytokine production that amplifies tissue pathology.
SN - 2667-0267
ER -