Anti-Leishmanial and Immunomodulatory Effects of Epigallocat-echin 3-O-Gallate on Leishmania tropica: Apoptosis and Gene Expression Profiling

  • Morteza SADUQI
  • Iraj SHARIFI
  • Zahra BABAEI
  • Alireza KEYHANI
  • Mahshid MOSTAFAVI
  • Maryam HAKIMI PARIZI
  • Mahdiyeh GHASEMIAN
  • Mehdi BAMOROVAT
  • Fatemeh SHARIFI
  • Mohammad Reza AFLATOONIAN
  • Fariba SHARIFIFAR
  • Pooya GHASEMI NEJAD
  • Ahmad KHOSRAVI
  • Ehsan SALARKIA
  • Rajender S. VARMA
Keywords: Epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate; Leishmania tropica; Immunomodulatory role; Apoptosis; Gene expression

Abstract

Background: Pentavalent antimonials such as meglumine antimoniate (MA, Glucantime), are the first-line treatment against leishmaniasis, but at present, they have basically lost their efficacy. This study was aimed to explore epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCG), alone or in combination with MA against Leishmania tropica stages.

Methods: All experiments were carried out in triplicate using colorimetric assay, macrophage model, flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR. This experimental study was carried out in 2017 in Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Results: Promastigotes and amastigotes were more susceptible to EGCG than MA alone, but the effect was more profound when used in combination. EGCG exhibited high antioxidant level with a remarkable potential to induce apoptosis. Furthermore, the results showed that the level of gene expression pertaining to Th-1 was significantly up-regulated (P<0.001).

Conclusion: EGCG demonstrated a potent anti-leishmanial effect alone and more enhanced lethal activity in combination. The principal mode of action entails the stimulation of a synergistic response and up-regulation of the immunomodulatory role towards Th-1 response against L. tropica.

Published
2019-12-25
Section
Articles