title: Thymulin reduces the hyperalgesia and cytokine upregulation induced by cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in mice has been shown to produce hyperalgesia and upregulation of interleukin (IL)-1beta and nerve growth factor (NGF) levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of thymulin on CL-induced hyperalgesia and cytokine upregulation. Daily treatment with thymulin (1, 100, and 1000 ng/ip) produced dose-dependent decreases in CL-induced hyperalgesia as assessed by the tail flick and the hot plate tests. The levels of NGF and IL-1beta were determined in the skin tissues of the hind leg in different groups (n = 5 each) of mice over a period of 5 weeks. Mice with CL showed sustained increase in the levels of IL-1beta and NGF which were reversed by thymulin (1 microg). Injection of thymulin only did not alter the nociceptive thresholds or the levels of IL-1beta and NGF. We conclude that thymulin can modulate the hyperalgesia induced by CL by decreasing the levels of the proinflammatory factors IL-1beta and NGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Labanon.
authors.forename: Salim A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kanaan
authors.forename: Bared
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Safieh-Garabedian
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khansa
authors.forename: Suhayl J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jabbur
authors.forename: Abdo R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jurjus
authors.forename: Nayef E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Saade
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating