AUTHOR=Batista-Dantas Francisca Elda , Ozaki Christiane Yumi , Santana Kelly Gomes , Nunes Valéria Sutti , Uscata Bernardina Amorin , Siess-Portugal Cinthia , Reis Luiza Campos , Yamashiro-Kanashiro Edite H. , Tafuri Wagner Luiz , Duarte-Neto Amaro Nunes , Sotto Mirian Nacagami , Goto Hiro , Cazita Patrícia Miralda TITLE=The impact of cholesteryl ester transfer protein on the progression of cutaneous leishmaniasis JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389551 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389551 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=Pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniases involves parasite growth, persistent inflammation, and likely participation of lipoproteins. The cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) has a role in lipoprotein metabolism and inflammation. We searched the lesion development in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis-infected human CETP transgenic-C57BL6/J mice (CETP). At 12 weeks of infection, CETP mice exhibited reduced lesion size, parasitism, and improved healing compared with infected control wild-type (WT) mice. We observed decreased CD68 + and increased CD163 + and CD206 + cells (M2 macrophage profile). The infected CETP mice displayed lower cholesterol levels in HDL and increased triglycerides in VLDL. Reduced CD36 receptor expression in the infected CETP mice correlated with healing and parasite reduction. In the in vitro experiment, the infected CETP macrophages showed lower parasite load, decreased arginase activity, and increased NO production compared with infected WT macrophages.Participation of CETP in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis infection development suggests its role in the modulation of immune response.