Immunomodulatory effect of diethylcarbamazine in mice infected with Nocardia brasiliensis

• Published in: International immunopharmacology 2014-11, Vol.23 (1), p.113-120
• Main Authors: García-Hernández, M., Castro-Corona, M.A., Segoviano-Ramírez, J.C., Brattig, N.W., Medina-De la Garza, C.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actinomycetoma; Animals; Antibody Formation - drug effects; Antiparasitic Agents - administration & dosage; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Diethylcarbamazine; Diethylcarbamazine - administration & dosage; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Immunomodulation; Ivermectin; Ivermectin - administration & dosage; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mycetoma - drug therapy; Mycetoma - immunology; Neutrophils - drug effects; Neutrophils - physiology; Nocardia; Nocardia - immunology; Nocardia brasiliensis; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Respiratory burst
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2014.08.004

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 10–12weeks of age were injected with either Nocardia brasiliensis or saline solution. Recorded were the effects of a treatment by DEC (6mg/kg per os daily for one week) or IVM (200μg/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