INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE HUMAN MONOCYTIC LEUKEMIA THP-1 CELL-LINE AND OLD AND NEW-WORLD SPECIES OF LEISHMANIA

The human promyelocytic THP-1 cell line has been found to support the growth of Leishmania parasites. THP-1 cells, differentiated with retinoic acid, cease replication while remaining in suspension. 72±8% of THP-1 cells became infected after inoculation with promastigotes of several Old and New World Leishmania species. The resulting amastigotes (19±5 per infected cell) were easy to harvest, capable of reinfecting cultures of normal human cells and, in the case of L. major and L. infantum, caused specific lesions in BALB/c mice. This culture system should facilitate biochemical and immunological studies on amastigotes and be of use in screening anti-parasite drugs. © 1990.