Influence of Artemisia annua L. on toll-like receptor expression in brain of mice infected with Acanthamoeba sp

Agnieszka Wojtkowiak-Giera; Monika Derda; Danuta Kosik-Bogacka; Agnieszka Kolasa-Wołosiuk; Piotr Solarczyk; Marcin Cholewiński; Elżbieta Wandurska-Nowak; Paweł P Jagodziński; Edward Hadaś

doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2018.01.008

Influence of Artemisia annua L. on toll-like receptor expression in brain of mice infected with Acanthamoeba sp

Exp Parasitol. 2018 Feb:185:17-22. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.01.008. Epub 2018 Jan 6.

Authors

Agnieszka Wojtkowiak-Giera¹, Monika Derda², Danuta Kosik-Bogacka³, Agnieszka Kolasa-Wołosiuk⁴, Piotr Solarczyk¹, Marcin Cholewiński¹, Elżbieta Wandurska-Nowak¹, Paweł P Jagodziński⁵, Edward Hadaś¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701 Poznan, Poland.
² Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: mderda@ump.edu.pl.
³ Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Pomeranian Medical University, 72 Powstancow Wielkopolskich Street, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
⁴ Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University, 71 Powstancow Wielkopolskich Street, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 6 Swiecickiego Street, 60-781 Poznań, Poland.

PMID: 29317241
DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.01.008

Abstract

The treatment of acanthamoebiasis is a still a problem. Our previous studies showed that the application of extracts from Artemisia annua L. significantly prolonged the survival of mice infected by Acanthamoeba. This plant has medicinal properties in the treatment of human parasitic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of A. annua on expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 in brain of mice with Acanthamoeba infection. Mice were infected with Acanthamoeba sp. strain Ac309 (KY203908) by intranasal inoculation without and after application of A. annua extract. The administration of extract from A. annua significantly reduced the level of expression of TLR2 and modified the level of expression of TLR4. A. annua extract is a natural substance that is well tolerated in animals and may be considered as a combination therapy in treatment of acanthamoebiasis. Our study suggested that A. annua extract may be used as an alternative therapeutic tool.

Keywords: Acanthamoeba sp.; Artemisia annua; Brain; Mice; TLR2; TLR4.

MeSH terms

Acanthamoeba / drug effects*
Amebiasis / drug therapy*
Amebiasis / metabolism
Animals
Artemisia annua / chemistry*
Brain / metabolism*
Brain / pathology
Gene Expression
Immunohistochemistry
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Phytotherapy*
Plant Extracts / pharmacology
Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Toll-Like Receptor 2 / drug effects
Toll-Like Receptor 2 / genetics
Toll-Like Receptor 2 / metabolism
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / drug effects
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / genetics
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism
Toll-Like Receptors / drug effects*
Toll-Like Receptors / genetics
Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism

Substances

Plant Extracts
RNA, Messenger
Tlr2 protein, mouse
Tlr4 protein, mouse
Toll-Like Receptor 2
Toll-Like Receptor 4
Toll-Like Receptors