Elucidating the link between HLA-presentome and different clinical presentations of cutaneous leishmaniasis with Nanopore HLA genotyping.

Infection with Leishmania parasites can lead to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. These range from diverse cutaneous presentations to a deadly systemic visceral disease, each being associated with infection by a specific set of Leishmania species. As of yet, knowledge on the host-pathogen interactions underpinning this diverse clinical spectrum is scarce. In our recent work, we have demonstrated a link between HLA genotype and susceptibility to the development of leishmaniasis, leading us to hypothesize that differential T cell antigen presentation shaped by HLA diversity may be a key driver of the development of different clinical presentations of leishmaniasis. In this project, we aim to uncover whether and how differential antigen presentation and HLA diversity is associated with the different cutaneous presentations. We will do so by combining Oxford Nanopore sequencing for HLA genotyping with state-of-the-art in silico antigen presentation predictions. Samples will be derived from Ethiopian patients infected with L. aethiopica, as this species can cause all different forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Keywords:NANOPORE SEQUENCING, IMMUNO INFORMATICS, LEISHMANIA

Disciplines:Bioinformatics of disease, Parasitology, Immunogenetics