Photodynamic therapy offers a novel approach to managing miltefosine-resistant cutaneous leishmaniasis - 23/07/24
Abstract |
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania parasites. The oral drug miltefosine is effective, but there is a growing problem of drug resistance, which has led to increasing treatment failure rates and relapse of infections. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines a light source and a photoactive drug to promote cell death by oxidative stress. Although PDT is effective against several pathogens, its use against drug-resistant Leishmania parasites remains unexplored. Herein, we investigated the potential of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as wearable light sources, which would enable at-home use or ambulatory treatment of CL. We also assessed its impact on combating miltefosine resistance in Leishmania amazonensis-induced CL in mice. The in vitro activity of OLEDs combined with 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue (DMMB) (OLED-PDT) was evaluated against wild-type and miltefosine-resistant L. amazonensis strains in promastigote (EC50 = 0.034 μM for both strains) and amastigote forms (EC50 = 0.052 μM and 0.077 μM, respectively). Cytotoxicity in macrophages and fibroblasts was also evaluated. In vivo, we investigated the potential of OLED-PDT in combination with miltefosine using different protocols. Our results demonstrate that OLED-PDT is effective in killing both strains of L. amazonensis by increasing reactive oxygen species and stimulating nitric oxide production. Moreover, OLED-PDT showed great antileishmanial activity in vivo, allowing the reduction of miltefosine dose by half in infected mice using a light dose of 7.8 J/cm2 and 15 μM DMMB concentration. In conclusion, OLED-PDT emerges as a new avenue for at-home care and allows a combination therapy to overcome drug resistance in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Graphical Abstract |
Highlights |
• | A new approach to treating cutaneous leishmaniasis is proposed. |
• | A combination of photodynamic therapy and miltefosine is shown to be effective against drug resistant L. amazonensis. |
• | OLEDs are shown to be novel wearable light sources suitable for at-home care of cutaneous leishmaniasis. |
• | Photodynamic therapy combined with oral miltefosine promotes complete healing. |
• | Photodynamic therapy reduces the miltefosine dose by half, preventing the emergence of drug resistance. |
Keywords : 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue (DMMB), Leishmania amazonensis, Organic light emitting-diodes (OLEDs), Antimicrobial resistance, Wearable light sources
Plan
Vol 177
Article 116881- août 2024 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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