mRNA expression of cytokines and its impact on outcomes after infection with lethal and nonlethal Plasmodium vinckei parasites

Abstract

Cytokines play an important role in the defense against malaria and some have long been documented to influence the course of malaria infection in rodents and humans. The present study was conducted to determine the mRNA expression pattern of a few prominent cytokines at different time points during the course of infection with a nonlethal and lethal Plasmodium vinckei rodent malaria parasite, using highly sensitive real-time PCR. Analysis of mRNA expression of cytokines in spleen from infected mice revealed that the principal difference was an early depletion in pro-inflammatory cytokine's mRNA expression in mice infected with lethal P. vinckei (PvAS) parasites. In addition, an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines particularly IL-10 mRNA expression levels was found in the same group of mice. In contrast, the significant rise in pro-inflammatory cytokine's mRNA expression levels was recorded at day 1 onwards after infection with nonlethal P. vinckei (PvAR). The maximum fold change was recorded for IFN-γ and IL-10, when compared to baseline value. TGF-β did not seem to play any major role in P. vinckei infection.

Cordycepin for Health and Wellbeing: A Potent Bioactive Metabolite of an Entomopathogenic Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps with Its Nutraceutical and Therapeutic Potential

“…The parasite gets into the human body through the bites of infected mosquitoes [125][126][127]. It is one of the deadliest diseases in the world [128], as it is estimated that every 2 min, a child dies of malaria, and each year more than two hundred million new cases of the disease are reported [129]. Most of the people who die from the disease are young children in Africa.…”

Helminth Parasites Alter Protection againstPlasmodiumInfection

“…Several mouse strains have been used to study the immune response to different combinations of Plasmodium species, such as P. berghei [15–20], P. yoelii [15, 21–24], P. chabaudi [25–30], and P. vinckei [31] (Table 1). These malarial models suggest that the efficiency of parasite control requires both a humoral and a cellular immune response, most likely in cooperation, although the importance of each is not entirely clear.…”

Plants-Derived Biomolecules as Potent Antiviral Phytomedicines: New Insights on Ethnobotanical Evidences against Coronaviruses

“…Though we cannot bring about an instant cure, considering the urgency of eradicating the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper will open new perspectives about plant molecules in developing various strategies against infectious diseases [ 12 , 13 ]. Mother Nature has always been considered as the prime source for the discovery of unique and new bioactive compounds, which have helped in combatting various diseases and infections [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Medicinal plants are known to produce innumerable bioactive metabolites with different pharmacological properties, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-malarial, anti-hypertension, anti-ageing, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-osteoporotic, hepato-protective, immunomodulator, etc.…”