title: Leishmania amazonensis: xylitol as inhibitor of macrophage infection and stimulator of macrophage nitric oxide production.
abstract: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol being explored for clinical uses. The aim was to evaluate the effects of xylitol on Leishmania amazonensis-infected J774A.1 macrophages. Macrophages were infected with L. amazonensis for 3h, washed and incubated with 2.5 or 5.0% xylitol for 24, 48, and 72 h at 37 degrees C. Infection indexes for macrophages incubated only in medium were compared to those treated with xylitol. Cell viability and nitric oxide production were determined each time. Xylitol did not affect L. amazonensis or J774A.1 cell viabilities. Xylitol at 5.0% stimulated nitric oxide production by macrophages at 72 h (p<0.01). At 2.5 and 5.0%, xylitol inhibited nitric oxide production by L. amazonensis at 48 h (p<0.05) when compared to control. Infection indexes were significantly lower at 72 h (p<0.05), (16.9% and 9.6%) in cells cultivated with 2.5 and 5.0% xylitol, respectively, compared to control (38.4%). Results suggest a potential leishmanicidal action of the xylitol on infected macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena, University of São Paulo (EEL/USP), Lorena SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Siqueira
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Nádia Rezende
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Silvio Silvério
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013549:Sweetening Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014993:Xylitol