Potentiation by cigarette smoke of macrophage function against Leishmania donovani infection.
OBJECTIVE
Cigarette smoke is able to induce the generation of reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are mediators of macrophage function and therefore, we have investigated the ability of cigarette smoke to activate Leishmania donovani infected peritoneal macrophage.


METHODS
Cultured peritoneal macrophages were either left untreated or treated with aqueous cigarette smoke extract prior to L. donovani infection. Parasite burden was assessed by giemsa staining. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species was determined by FACS analysis. PCR was performed to analyze mRNA levels of cytokines. NF- kappaB activity was assessed by EMSA and reporter assay.


RESULTS
A pre-treatment with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) causes a decrease in parasite burden, an increase in intracellular ROS level, up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduced expression of immuno-suppressive cytokine and boosting of NF-kappaB activity in L. donovani-infected macrophage.


CONCLUSIONS
Low concentration of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) counteracts L. donovani infection-mediated suppression of macrophage function without affecting host cell viability. This study reveals a new role of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) as an activator of macrophage function.
Maity
P C
PC
Department of Microbiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India.
Bhattacharjee
S
S
Majumdar
S
S
Sil
A K
AK
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012906:Smoke; D012907:Smoking; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry*
D016207:Cytokines; D016328:NF-kappa B; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012906:Smoke