Protein undernutrition alters the colonic bacteriome, disrupts intestinal immune homeostasis, and impairs control of Leishmania infantum infection in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis
These findings highlight the complex interplay between nutritional status, the microbiota, and host immunity in the progression of VL. Undernutrition exacerbates disease severity through local and systemic immune dysregulation and microbial shifts. Our results support new treatments targeting diet and microbiota to control VL.
Authors
- Filipe Rocha Lima (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7629-4963)
- Sergio Cuervo-Escobar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9283-6985)
- Felipe Gaitán-Albarracín
- L. Caetano M. Antunes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1686-0788)
- Jonathan Durães (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7416-695X)
- Mónica Losada-Barragán (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1141-1828)
- Heidi Pauer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8124-7069)
- Erika Moutinho Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8155-3392)
- Cristiane Cassiolato Pires Hardoim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4650-0177)
- Renata VDM Azevedo
- Sebastian Arcila-Barrera
- Nathália Varão Pinho
- Patricia Cuervo
- Adriana Umaña-Pérez
Institutions
- University of Kansas (US)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- University of Nariño (CO)
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO)
- Instituto de Geociencias (ES)
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Nutrition
- Published
- 2026-01-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1733703
- Primary Topic
- Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
- Philippine-American Educational Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences