Effect of fibronectin and interferon-gamma on the uptake of Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum promastigotes by U937 cells.

Uptake of Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum promastigotes by U937 cells was determined by microscopic observation and by using radiolabelled parasites. With both species we observed an increase in uptake after parasite pretreatments with fibronectin, and a decrease in uptake after cell pretreatment with interferon-gamma (IFN gamma). When both pretreatments were performed, the uptake was significantly decreased only in L. infantum experiments. These findings may be of some importance in the evaluation of IFN gamma as a leishmanicidal agent.