Internalization of Leishmania mexicana Complex Amastigotes via the Fc Receptor Is Required to Sustain Infection in Murine Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

We show here that maintenance of Leishmania infections with Leishmania mexicana complex parasites (Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania pifanoi) is impaired in the absence of circulating antibody. In these studies, we used mice genetically altered to contain no circulating antibody, with and without functional B cells. This experimental design allowed us to rule out a critical role for B cell antigen presentation in Leishmania pathogenesis. In addition, we show that mice lacking the common γ chain of Fc receptors (FcγRI, FcεRI, and FcγRIII) are similarly refractory to infection with these parasites. These observations establish a critical role for antibody in the pathogenesis associated with infection by members of the L. mexicana complex.