Fig. 1

L. amazonensis induces hyperalgesia and paw inflammation in BALB/c mice. Mechanical hyperalgesia (a), thermal hyperalgesia (b), and paw edema (c) were measured bilaterally in control non-infected and infected mice during 40 days after the infection. Representative images of control non-infected mice (d) and ipsilateral (e) and contralateral sides (f) of infected mice paws as well as TNF-α (g), IL-1β (h), and MPO (i) levels in the paw tissue were evaluated bilaterally on day 40 post-infection by ELISA and colorimetric assays, respectively. Representative histological images (H&E) of control non-infected mice (j) and ipsilateral (k and l) and contralateral sides (m) of infected mice paw tissues are presented (four slides per mice/four mice per group). Magnification × 40 for j, k, and m, and × 100 for l. Continuous and dashed lines in j, k, and m delimit the extension of epidermis and dermis, respectively. Arrows in l indicate amastigote forms of L. amazonensis inside the vacuoles of macrophages. The quantification of epidermal and dermal thickening is presented as histopathological score in n. Results are presented as mean ± SEM of six mice per group per experiment and are representative of two separated experiments. *p < 0.05 compared to control non-infected mice (one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc)