A2: Regulation of local tissue oxygenation in cutaneous leishmaniasis

A2: Regulation of local tissue oxygenation in cutaneous leishmaniasis

Tissue oxygenation plays an important role in health and disease. Low oxygen (O₂) levels prevail in infected tissues and thereby impair the O₂-dependent antimicrobial effectors of professional phagocytes. This can promote the survival and replication of various pathogens including Leishmania (L.) major. Therefore, augmentation of local O₂ levels in infected tissue might bear a therapeutic potential.
However, for that purpose a detailed knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms that drive low tissue O₂ levels in infected tissues is required first. In this project, therefore, we would like to define the microenvironmental factors that are linked to low tissue oxygen levels in L. major lesions. In a next step, we aim to assess the contribution of these factors on lesional tissue oxygen and host defense.

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