Immunohistopathological changes in murine Schistosomiasis mansoni under the influence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) 2012-10, Vol.111 (4), p.1569-1578
• Main Authors: de Lima Aires, André, de Azevedo Albuquerque, Mônica Camelo Pessôa, Silva, Renata Alexandre Ramos, Schirato, Giuliana Viegas, de Pontes Filho, Nicodemos Teles, de Araújo, Sidcley Bernardino, Souza, Valdênia Maria Oliveira, Costa, Vlaudia Maria Assis, Malagueño, Elizabeth
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcysteine - administration & dosage; Administration, Oral; Analysis; Animals; Anthelmintics - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Biological response modifiers; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cysteine; Cystine; Development and progression; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Granuloma - pathology; Health aspects; Histocytochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; Immunology; Inflammation; Invertebrates; Liver - pathology; Liver diseases; Male; Medical Microbiology; Mice; Microbiology; Original Paper; Praziquantel - administration & dosage; Schistosoma; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis mansoni - drug therapy; Schistosomiasis mansoni - pathology; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-2997-4

The main pathology associated with Schistosomiasis mansoni is granulomatous inflammation that may develop into hepatosplenic disease with fibrosis and hepatoesplenomegaly. It is known that N -acetyl- L -cysteine (NAC) reduces tissue damage in chronic liver diseases owing to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying properties. In this study, we investigated the imunohistopathological changes in murine schistosomiasis mansoni under the influence of NAC, in combination with Praziquantel (PZQ) or not. Three groups of mice were formed to evaluate the effects of NAC during infection in the acute, intermediate, and chronic phases. Each group was further subdivided into four subgroups: NAC, PZQ, NAC + PZQ and control (without treatment). Oral administration of NAC (200 mg/kg/day) was carried out on the first day after infection for the acute phase and on the 45th for the intermediate and chronic phases for 59 and 45, 75 days, respectively. PZQ (100 mg/kg/day), was given orally by gavage from the 45th to 49th day after infection. Histopathological analysis of liver tissue provided evidence that combined NAC + PZQ treatment reduced the development of granulomas observed in the chronic phase. Animals treated with NAC and/or PZQ showed a reduction in the size of granulomas and all those treated with NAC exhibited a lower degree of fibrosis. In all groups, NAC decreased the synthesis of interferon-γ and nitric oxide, while increasing the levels of interleukin-10, but it did not influence the production of interleukin-4. On the whole, NAC treatment induced an immunomodulatory effect and reduced liver damage during the granulomatous inflammation in S. mansoni -infected mice.