The Intestinal Zonulin and Zonula Occludens ۱ Protein Expression and Lipopolysaccharide Levels In ddY Mice Injected with Dengue Virus Non-Structural Protein ۱

Background and Aim: Dengue virus infection remains a health problem. Dengue Virus Non-Structural protein ۱ (NS۱) increases the release of proinflammatory cytokines that induce intestinal zonulin expression. As a result, the ZO-۱ protein translocates to the cytoplasm, which increases enterocyte permeability. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dengue NS۱ on intestinal zonulin and ZO-۱ expression, intestinal weight, and serum LPS. Materials and Methods: This experiment used ۱۸ ddY mice with a pre-posttest control group design. Mice were randomly divided into control (C), PBS (T۱), and PBS+NS۱ (T۲) groups. Mice in the T۱ and ۲ groups were intravenously injected with ۵۰۰ µL PBS and ۵۰ µg NS۱, respectively. Blood samples were collected before and after the three-day treatment. The intestines were weighted directly and were then embedded with formalin for immunostaining. Serum LPS were determined using ELISA. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA. Results: The T۲ group had the highest zonulin expression (histoscore=۸) compared to the T۱ (histoscores=۷.۳۳) and C (histoscore=۶.۳۳) groups but were not significant (p=۰.۱۳۵). Intestinal ZO-۱ expression did not increase in the T groups compared to the C group (p=۰.۳۶۸). The intestine weight in the C group was significantly lower than the T group (p=۰.۰۰۱). After treatment, serum LPS levels in the T۲ group were higher (۰.۳۴ pg/mL) than before treatment (۰.۱۲ pg/mL; p=۰.۱۱۸), but not in the T۱ group (p=۰.۳۸۴). Meanwhile, there was a significant decrease in serum LPS levels in the C group (p=۰.۰۴۶). Conclusion: Injection of ۵۰ µg dengue virus NS۱ has a minor effect on intestinal permeability in ddY mice.

کلیدواژه ها:

Dengue Virus ، NS۱ ، Zonulin ، Zonula Occludens ۱ ، LPS ، ویروس دنگی ، NS۱ ، زونولین ، Zonula occludens ۱ ، LPS