Ayatollah El-Shorbagy - Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Egypt
Irene Gamil - Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Egypt
Mohammed Mohey - Endemic Medicine and Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
Soad Nady - Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Egypt

Objective(s): Schistosomiasis and hepatitis C virus [HCV] co-infection is common among the Egyptian population. Co-infected patients have higher rate of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role of gold nanoparticles on granuloma in vitro. Materials and Methods: In the current study, granulocytes were isolated from the blood of 50 Schistosoma/HCV co-infected patients and 25 healthy subjects. Granulocytes were used to induce granuloma in vitro in the presence of polyacrylamide beads coated with Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen and interleukin-17. In addition, granuloma was treated on the 3rd day with gold nanoparticles alone or in the presence of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Hep G2) as carcinoma model. Praziquantel (PZQ) was used as a positive control. Granuloma index was determined on the 7th and 14th day. Furthermore, the supernatants were collected to measure the granulocyte mediators including tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], hydrogen peroxide [H2O2] and nitric oxide [NO] by ELISA on the 7th and 14th day. Results: Treatment with AuNPs in the presence of Hep G2 showed a significant reduction in granuloma index and granulocyte mediators including H2O2 and NO, while a significant elevation was observed in TNF-α level as compared to their corresponding values in the presence of IL-17 in both healthy individual and co-infected patients on the 7th and 14th day. Conclusion: In conclusion, the presence of IL-17 accelerated the formation of granuloma and the treatment with AuNPs in the presence Hep G2 cells indicated that AuNPs were more effective antioxidant agents than PZQ.

Interleukin 17, Gold Nanoparticles, Schistosoma, Hepatitis