DNA Transformation of Leishmania infantum Axenic Amastigotes and Their Use in Drug Screening

Protocols for DNA electroporation in Leishmania promastigote cells are well established. More recently, in vitro culture of axenic Leishmania amastigotes became possible. We have established conditions for DNA transformation of axenically grown Leishmania infantum amastigotes. Parameters for DNA electroporation of Leishmania axenic amastigotes were systematically studied using luciferase-mediated transient transfection. Cell lines expressing stable luciferase activity were then selected, and their ability to be used in an in vitro drug screening procedure was determined. A model was established, using axenic amastigotes expressing luciferase activity, for rapidly determining the activity of drugs directly against both axenic and intracellular amastigotes. For intracellular amastigotes, the 50% effective concentrations of pentamidine, sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam), meglumine (Glucantime), and potassium antimonyl tartrate determined with the luciferase assay were 0.2 μM (0.12 μg/ml), 55 μg/ml, 95 μg/ml, and 0.12 μg/ml, respectively; these values are in agreement with values determined by more labor-intensive staining methods. We also showed the usefulness of luciferase-expressing parasites for analyzing drug resistance. The availability of luciferase-expressing amastigotes for use in high-throughput screening should facilitate the search for new antileishmanial drugs.