title: Cytokine profile and natural killer cell activity in Listeria monocytogenes infected mice treated orally with Petiveria alliacea extract.
abstract: In this work, we investigated the effects of Petiveria alliacea extract on the production of Th1-type and Th2-type cytokines and on NK cells activity in normal and Listeria monocytogenes infected mice. Our results demonstrated that in normal/non-infected mice P. alliacea administration led to increased levels of Interleukin-2 (IL-2). The infection alone enhanced INF-gamma levels and NK cell activity at 48 and 72 hours of infection. The treatment with five consecutive doses of 1000 mg/kg/day of P. alliacea extract, given previously to infection, led to further increases in IL-2 levels, in relation to normal/non-infected/P. alliacea treated controls, and in INF-gamma levels at 72 h of infection, compared to infected mice. On the other hand, the production of IL-4 and IL-10 were not altered either by the infection or by the treatment with P. alliacea extract. NK cells activity increased at 48 h and 72 h following the inoculation of the bacteria. When mice were treated with P. alliacea previously to infection, NK activity was higher than that observed at 48 h, 72 h and 120 h of infection in the infected animal. Based on these findings we suggest that P. alliacea up-regulates anti-bacterial immune response by enhancing both Th1 function and the activity of NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Farmacologia/Hemocentro, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP, Brazil. msq44@uol.com.br
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Quadros
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma