title: Immunomodulatory activity of diethylcarbamazine on humoral, cellular cytokine response and respiratory burst in BALB/c mice.
abstract: Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) is an anthelmintic piperazine derivative drug with putative immunomodulating properties, including increased platelet and granulocyte adhesion to parasites and enhanced production of cytokines. To further analyse these properties in a well-established animal model, we evaluated the effect of DEC on antibody, cellular cytokine response and respiratory burst in BALB/c mice. Animals were challenged with a thymus-dependent (tetanus toxoid, (TT)) and with a thymus-independent (lipopolysaccharide, (LPS)) antigen and treated with DEC for seven days with two different doses (50 mg/day and 500 mg/day). Serum was assessed for antibody production at 0, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after stimulation and at 0, 24 and 48 h for IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-12 release. Respiratory burst of neutrophils and monocytes from peripheral blood was measured by flow cytometry. We found low-dose treatment with DEC enhanced cytokine production vs. TT and antibody production vs. LPS, whereas a higher dose enhanced significantly the respiratory burst of both polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes, with a significant higher effect on the former. Our results suggest a stimulating, dose-dependent immunomodulatory effect of DEC with a higher effect on the phagocytic cells.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México. carlos.medina@uanl.mx
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Medina-De la Garza
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Ramírez
authors.forename: Marisela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Hernández
authors.forename: M Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro-Corona
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torres-López
authors.forename: Norbert W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Brattig
authors.forename: Mario C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Salinas-Carmona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine