Molecular Investigation of Pro-Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines Gene Expression in Macrophages Exposed to Leishmania Major

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious skin disease that affects people all over the world. The innate and adaptive immune response generated against the parasite in the host is effective during the treatment period and wound healing process. The production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines plays a central role in susceptibility and resistance to the pathogen. Peritoneal macrophage cells were harvested from the peritoneal cavity of BALB/C mice and exposed to Leishmania major parasite (MHOM/IR/۷۵/ER) at three time points (۲۴, ۴۸, and ۷۲ hours). Gene expression of TNF-α, IL-۱۲, CXCL-۹, CXCL-۱۰, IL-۱۰, and TGF-β cytokines was analysed by real-time PCR. The expression of IL-۱۰ as an anti-inflammatory cytokine was higher than that of inflammatory cytokines during the three treatment periods (۲۴, ۴۸, and ۷۲). The expression of IL-p۳۵ was also high, but not IL-p۴۰. The expression of CXCL-۹ (crucial for the recruitment of immune T cells) was also upregulated (p ≤ ۰.۰۵). The gene expression of TNF-α was low at three different time points, especially after ۷۲ hours of exposure, and the level of TGF-β expression increased significantly after ۷۲ hours, and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression was higher than that of pro-inflammatory cytokines (p ≤ ۰.۰۵). Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines have a critical role in the treatment of Leishmania major infections. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production is related to the mechanism of suppression of cellular immune responses mediated by Th۲ lymphocytes during disease progression. Evaluation of macrophage cytokine gene expression may be indicative of cytokine expression by macrophage cells as a major factor in the host defense involved in CL and is important for studies on the pathogenesis of the disease.

کلیدواژه ها:

Leishmania major ، Macrophage ، Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines