Abstract
Leishmaniasis is considered a serious public health problem in several regions in Brazil and worldwide. This research aimed to perform a histopathological and proteomic study of parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands of BALB/c mice infected by Leishmania (L) infantum chagasi using histological, immunohistochemical and epifluorescence techniques. Twelve isogenic BALB/c male mice, around six- to eight-weeks old, were separated into two groups: the animals of the control group were injected with 0.15 ml of NaCl, while those in the experimental group were inoculated with 5 × 10(6) amastigote forms of Leishmania (L) infantum chagasi by the ip route. After 50 days, animals were euthanized and major salivary glands were collected to perform histological, immunohistochemical and epifluorescence techniques using anti-Caspase-2, anti-Ki-67 and anti-β-catenin antibodies, respectively. The histological and morphometric evaluation showed clusters of mononuclear inflammatory cells and a higher area and perimeter of the parotid gland. However, none of the salivary glands had morphophysiological impairment. There was no immunoreactivity to the anti-caspase-2 antibody and Ki67 expression in acinar and ductal cells in both groups. According to the immunofluorescence staining, the β-catenin antibodies did not show nuclear expression, suggesting no uncontrolled proliferation. The data obtained in this study showed population and morphological stability of major salivary glands after 50 days post-infection by Leishmania (L) infantum chagasi.