Lipid bodies accumulation in Leishmania infantum ‐infected C57 BL /6 macrophages

Lipid bodies ( LB s) are intracellular accumulations of neutral lipids surrounded by a single membrane. These organelles are involved in the production of eicosanoids, which modulate immunity by either promoting or dampening inflammatory responses. Leishmania infantum , the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, is an intracellular parasite that causes disease by suppressing macrophage microbicidal responses. C57 BL /6 mouse bone marrow‐derived macrophages infected with L. infantum strain LcJ had higher numbers of LB + cells ( P 3 μm) LB s were present inside parasitophorous vacuoles ( PV s). These results contrast with those of L. infantum ‐infected BALB /c macrophages, in which the only LB s are derived from parasite, not macrophage origin. Increased LB s in C57 BL /6 macrophages in close association with parasites would position host LB s where they could modulate L. infantum infection. These results imply a potential influence of the host genetics on the role of LB s in host‐pathogen interactions. Overall, our data support a model in which the expression, and the role of LB s upon infection, ultimately depends on the specific combination of host‐pathogen interactions.