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Immunohistopathological changes in murine Schistosomiasis mansoni under the influence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine

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Abstract

The main pathology associated with Schistosomiasis mansoni is granulomatous inflammation that may develop into hepatosplenic disease with fibrosis and hepatoesplenomegaly. It is known that N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) reduces tissue damage in chronic liver diseases owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying properties. In this study, we investigated the imunohistopathological changes in murine schistosomiasis mansoni under the influence of NAC, in combination with Praziquantel (PZQ) or not. Three groups of mice were formed to evaluate the effects of NAC during infection in the acute, intermediate, and chronic phases. Each group was further subdivided into four subgroups: NAC, PZQ, NAC + PZQ and control (without treatment). Oral administration of NAC (200 mg/kg/day) was carried out on the first day after infection for the acute phase and on the 45th for the intermediate and chronic phases for 59 and 45, 75 days, respectively. PZQ (100 mg/kg/day), was given orally by gavage from the 45th to 49th day after infection. Histopathological analysis of liver tissue provided evidence that combined NAC + PZQ treatment reduced the development of granulomas observed in the chronic phase. Animals treated with NAC and/or PZQ showed a reduction in the size of granulomas and all those treated with NAC exhibited a lower degree of fibrosis. In all groups, NAC decreased the synthesis of interferon-γ and nitric oxide, while increasing the levels of interleukin-10, but it did not influence the production of interleukin-4. On the whole, NAC treatment induced an immunomodulatory effect and reduced liver damage during the granulomatous inflammation in S. mansoni-infected mice.

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Acknowledgments

This work received financial support fron the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Pernambuco (FACEPE) and Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

    André de Lima Aires, Renata Alexandre Ramos Silva, Valdênia Maria Oliveira Souza, Vlaudia Maria Assis Costa & Elizabeth Malagueño

  2. Departamento de Medicina Tropical e Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife, 50670-420, Pernambuco, Brazil

    Mônica Camelo Pessôa de Azevedo Albuquerque

  3. Biotério do Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, CPqAM/FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

    Giuliana Viegas Schirato

  4. Departamento de Patologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

    Nicodemos Teles de Pontes Filho & Sidcley Bernardino de Araújo

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  1. André de Lima Aires
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  2. Mônica Camelo Pessôa de Azevedo Albuquerque
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Correspondence to Mônica Camelo Pessôa de Azevedo Albuquerque.

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de Lima Aires, A., de Azevedo Albuquerque, M.C.P., Silva, R.A.R. et al. Immunohistopathological changes in murine Schistosomiasis mansoni under the influence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Parasitol Res 111, 1569–1578 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2997-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2997-4

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