title: Immunomodulatory effect of diethylcarbamazine in mice infected with Nocardia brasiliensis.
abstract: We tested whether diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin (IVM), both antiparasitic drugs with reported immunomodulatory properties, were able to affect the immune system to potentiate host defense mechanisms and protect against actinomycetoma in a mouse model. Male BALB/c mice of 10-12 weeks of age were injected with either Nocardia brasiliensis or saline solution. Recorded were the effects of a treatment by DEC (6 mg/kg per os daily for one week) or IVM (200 μg/kg subcutaneously on days 1 and 3) on (i) the development of mycetoma lesion, (ii) the expression of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by phagocytes, (iii) the proliferation index of lymphocytes and (iv) antibody production of IgG and IgM. After an initial lesion in all mice, DEC inhibited a full development and progression of actinomycetoma resulting in a reduced lesion size (p < 0.001). IVM had no inhibitory effect on the development of mycetoma. Furthermore, DEC treatment was associated with a significant enhancement of ROI expression (p < 0.05) by polymorphonuclear neutrophils at day 3 after infection. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to N. brasiliensis antigens and concanavalin A in DEC-treated group was higher than in non-treated group at day 21 and 28 postinfection (p < 0.01). Significant changes in antibody response were not observed. By all parameters tested, DEC was superior to IVM regarding immunostimulatory potency. In conclusion, DEC expressed an in vivo influence on the immune status during the infection by N. brasiliensis leading to retrogression of the mycetoma and increasing cellular immune responses. Our findings may indicate a potential use of DEC as a putative adjuvant in infectious disease or vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud (CIDICS), Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud (CIDICS), Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro-Corona
authors.affiliation: Histology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud (CIDICS), Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Segoviano-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Brattig
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud (CIDICS), Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico. Electronic address: carlos.medina@uanl.mx.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Medina-De la Garza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008271:Mycetoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009615:Nocardia / Q000276:immunology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D007559:Ivermectin; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine
keywords: Actinomycetoma; Diethylcarbamazine; Immunomodulation; Ivermectin; Nocardia; Respiratory burst