scholarly journals Babesia bovis-Stimulated Macrophages Express Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-12, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, and Nitric Oxide and Inhibit Parasite Replication In Vitro

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 5139-5145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisl K. M. Shoda ◽  
Guy H. Palmer ◽  
Jorge Florin-Christensen ◽  
Monica Florin-Christensen ◽  
Dale L. Godson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The tick-transmitted hemoparasite Babesia bovis causes an acute infection that results in persistence and immunity against challenge infection in cattle that control the initial parasitemia. Resolution of acute infection with this protozoal pathogen is believed to be dependent on products of activated macrophages (Mφ), including inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) and its derivatives.B. bovis stimulates inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and production of NO in bovine Mφ, and chemical donors of NO inhibit the growth of B. bovis in vitro. However, the induction of inflammatory cytokines in Mφ by babesial parasites has not been described, and the antiparasitic activity of NO produced by B. bovis-stimulated Mφ has not been definitively demonstrated. We report that monocyte-derived Mφ activated by B. bovisexpressed enhanced levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor alpha that are important for stimulating innate and acquired immunity against protozoal pathogens. Furthermore, a lipid fraction of B. bovis-infected erythrocytes stimulated iNOS expression and NO production by Mφ. Cocultures of Mφ and B. bovis-infected erythrocytes either in contact or physically separated resulted in reduced parasite viability. However, NO produced by bovine Mφ in response to B. bovis-infected erythrocytes was only partially responsible for parasite growth inhibition, suggesting that additional factors contribute to the inhibition of B. bovis replication. These findings demonstrate that B. bovis induces an innate immune response that is capable of controlling parasite replication and that could potentially result in host survival and parasite persistence.

Planta Medica ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (09) ◽  
pp. 770-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franciane Marques ◽  
Maycow da Costa ◽  
Cátia Vittorazzi ◽  
Luciane Gramma ◽  
Thiago Barth ◽  
...  

Abstract Struthanthus vulgaris is probably the most common medicinal mistletoe plant in Brazil, and has been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent and for cleaning skin wounds. Our proposal was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract and provide further insights of how this biological action could be explained using in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity was preliminarily investigated in lipopolysaccharide/interferon gamma-stimulated macrophages based on their ability to inhibit nitric oxide production and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract was investigated in the mice carrageenan-induced inflammation air pouch model. The air pouches were inoculated with carrageenan and then treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract or 1 mg/kg of dexamethasone. Effects on the immune cell infiltrates, pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1, interleukin 10, and nitric oxide, were evaluated. The chemical composition of S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract was characterized by LC-MS/MS. In vitro S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract significantly decreased the production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in macrophages and did not reveal any cytotoxicity. In vivo, S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract significantly suppressed the influx of leukocytes, mainly neutrophils, protein exudation, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin 1 concentrations in the carrageenan-induced inflammation air pouch. In conclusion, S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory effects, thereby endorsing its usefulness as a medicinal therapy against inflammatory diseases, and suggesting that S. vulgaris ethanol leaf extract may be a source for the discovery of novel anti-inflammatory agents.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1135-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Melanson ◽  
P. Miao ◽  
D. Eisenstat ◽  
Y. Gong ◽  
X. Gu ◽  
...  

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurological disease characterized by targeted destruction of central nervous system (CNS) myelin. The autoimmune theory is the most widely accepted explanation of disease pathology. Circulating Th1 cells become activated by exposure to CNS-specific antigens such as myelin basic protein. The activated Th1 cells secrete inflammatory cytokines, which are pivotal for inflammatory responses. We hypothesize that enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines triggers cellular events within the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and/or spinal cord, facilitating the development of neuropathic pain (NPP) in MS. NPP, the second worst disease-induced symptom suffered by patients with MS, is normally regulated by DRG and/or spinal cord. Objective: To determine gene and protein expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) within DRG and/or spinal cord in an animal model of MS. Methods: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in adolescent female Lewis rats. Animals were sacrificed every 3 days post-disease induction. DRG and spinal cords were harvested for protein and gene expression analysis. Results: We show significant increases in TNFα expression in the DRG and of EAE animals at peak disease stage, as assessed by clinical symptoms. Conclusion: Antigen-induced production of inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα within the DRG identifies a potential novel mechanism for MS-induced NPP.


2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 323-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeru Abe ◽  
Naho Maruyama ◽  
Kazumi Hayama ◽  
Hiroko Ishibashi ◽  
Shigeharu Inoue ◽  
...  

Background:In aromatherapy, essential oils are used as anti-inflammatory remedies, but experimental studies on their action mechanisms are very limited.Aims:To assess their anti-inflammatory activities, effects of essential oils on neutrophil activation were examinedin vitro.Methods:Neutrophil activation was measured by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced adherence reaction of human peripheral neutrophils.Results:All essential oils tested at 0.1% concentration suppressed TNF-α-induced neutrophil adherence, and, in particular, lemongrass, geranium and spearmint oils clearly lowered the reaction even at 0.0125%. Similar inhibitory activities for the neutrophil adherence were obtained by their major constituent terpenoids: citral, geraniol, citronellol and carvone. In contrast, very popular essential oils, tea tree oil and lavender oil, did not display the inhibitory activity at the concentration.Conclusion:Thus, some essential oils used as anti-inflammatory remedies suppress neutrophil activation by TNF-α at a low concentration (0.0125-0.025%)in vitro.


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