Aedes aegypti mosquito saliva ameliorates acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 8;16(2):e0245788. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245788. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP) overdose is the most common cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Although the primary hepatic damage is induced by APAP-derived toxic intermediates resulting from cytochrome P450 metabolism, immune components also play an important role in DILI pathophysiology. Aedes aegypti saliva is a source of bioactive molecules with in vitro anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. However, evidences on the therapeutic use of Ae. aegypti salivary preparations in animal models of relevant clinical conditions are still scarce. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the protective role of Ae. aegypti saliva in a murine model of APAP-induced DILI. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to Ae. aegypti bites 2 hours after APAP overdose. Biochemical and immunological parameters were evaluated in blood and liver samples at different time points after APAP administration. Exposure to Ae. aegypti saliva attenuated liver damage, as demonstrated by reduced hepatic necrosis and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase in APAP-overdosed mice. The levels of hepatic CYP2E1, the major enzyme responsible for the bioactivation of APAP, were not changed in Ae. aegypti exposed animals, suggesting no effects in the generation of hepatotoxic metabolites. On the other hand, mice treated with Ae. aegypti saliva following APAP overdose presented lower serum concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-10, as well as reduced frequency of inflammatory cell populations in the liver, such as NKT cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. These findings show that Ae. aegypti saliva has bioactive molecules with therapeutic properties and may represent a prospective source of new compounds in the management of DILI-associated inflammatory disorders and, perhaps, many other inflammatory/autoimmune diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / adverse effects*
  • Aedes / physiology*
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / blood*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / immunology
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / metabolism
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Immunologic Factors / metabolism*
  • Insect Bites and Stings / immunology*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Saliva / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Acetaminophen
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1
  • cytochrome P-450 2E1, mouse
  • Alanine Transaminase

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.13570763

Grants and funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) - Finance Code 001; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (INCT-EM/CNPq) - Grant # 465678/2014-9 awarded to MLC and AS-N; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) - Grant # 2009/09892-6 awarded to AS-N and Grant # 2016/11523-2 awarded to JBA; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Moléculas Bioativas de Artrópodes Vetores - Brasil (NAP-MOBIARVE) - Grant # 12.1.17661.1.7 awarded to AS-N.