Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Parasitology 1735-7020 11 4 2016 12 25 534 541 Soheyla AKHZARI Dept. of Laboratory Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran Hossein REZVAN Dept. of Laboratory Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran Masoud ZOLHAVARIEH Dept. of Laboratory Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran AND Dept. of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Para-Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran 2016 12 25 2016 12 25 Background: Leishmaniasis is a worldwide disease prevalent in tropical and sub- tropical countries in the world. Characterization of inflammatory responses produced in cutaneous leishmaniasis has not yet been completed. Methods: The specific primers were designed for ten pro-inflammatory genes including CCL4, CCL3, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-12P35, IL-12P40, CCL5, CCR5, IL-1β and IFN- γ and their expression were assessed and compared using RT-PCR in the lesion and peripheral blood neutrophils in Leishmania infected BALB/c mice. Results: None of the pro-inflammatory genes was expressed in the healthy tissue and except IFN-γ others were down-regulated by the parasite in the lesion in untreated mice. In mice treated with anti-Leishmanial drugs, the expression of the pro-inflammatory genes restarted. The figure of pro-inflammatory gene expression in neutrophils was different was from the lesions in treated and untreated mice. Conclusion: Leishmania is capable to suppress the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in the lesions but not in neutrophils. The expression of TNF-α in the lesions and down-regulation of IL-1β in neutrophils could be accounted as an indication for healing of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The results open a new window on characterization of Leishmania lesions and clarifying the role of neutrophils in Leishmania infections. https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/1353 https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/1353/631