Inoculation of Freund's adjuvant in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) revealed key KEGG pathways and DEGs of host anti-Edwardsiella anguillarum infection

Freund's complete (FCA) and incomplete adjuvants (FIA), generally applied in subunit fishery vaccine, have not been explored on the molecular mechanism of the nonspecific immune enhancement. In this study, we examined the RNA-seq in the spleen of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) inoculated with FCA and FIA (FCIA group) to elucidate the key KEGG pathways and differential expressed genes (DEGs) in the process of Edwardsiella anguillarum infection and A. anguilla anti-E. anguillarum infection using genome-wide transcriptome. After eels were challenged by E. anguillarum at 28 d post the first inoculation (dpi), compared to the control uninfected eels (Con group), the control infected eels (Con_inf group) showed severe pathological changes in the liver, kidney and spleen, although infected eels post the inoculation of FCIA (FCIA_inf group) also formed slight bleeding. Compared to the FCIA_inf group, there was more than 10 times colony forming unit (cfu) in the Con_inf group per 100 μg spleen, kidney or blood, and the relative percent survival (RPS) of eels was 44.4% in FCIA_inf vs Con_inf. Compared to the Con group, the SOD activity in the FCIA group increased significantly in the liver and spleen. Using high-throughput transcriptomics, DEGs were identified and 29 genes were verified using fluorescence real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The result of DEGs clustering showed 9 samples in 3 groups of Con, FCIA and FCIA_inf were similar, contrast to distinct differences of 3 samples in the Con_inf group. We found 3795 up and 3548 down regulated DEGs in the compare of FCIA_inf vs Con_inf, of which 5 enriched KEGG pathways of "Lysosome", "Autophagy", "Apoptosis", "C-type lectin receptor signaling" and "Insulin signaling" were ascertained, and 26 of 30 top GO terms in the compare were significantly enriched. Finally, protein-protein interactions between the DEGs of the 5 KEGG pathways and other DEGs were explored using Cytoscape 3.9.1. The compare of FCIA_inf vs Con_inf showed 110 DEGs from the 5 pathways and 718 DEGs from other pathways formed total of 9747° in a network, of which 9 hub DEGs play vital roles in anti-infection or apoptosis. Together, the interaction networks revealed that 9 DEGs involved in the 5 pathways underlies the key process of A. anguilla anti-E. anguillarum infection or host cell apoptosis.

Evaluating the immunogenicity of gold nanoparticles conjugated RBD with Freund's adjuvant as a potential vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Background

and Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is currently considered as the most challenging issue in the field of health and medicine by causing a global pandemic. Vaccines are counted as a promising candidate to terminate this deadly pandemic. Various structural proteins in SARS-CoV-2 have recently drawn attention to be utilized as candidate vaccines to stimulate immune responses against COVID-19.

Materials and methods

In current study, the RBD protein was cloned and expressed in E. coli host. Then, the expressed RBD protein was purified and its characterizations were evaluated through various methods. Gold nanoparticles, which were utilized as a carrier for candidate Nano-vaccine, were synthesized via oxidation-reduction reaction. While Gold NPs-conjugated RBD was injected into the second treatment group, in the first candidate vaccine, RBD was injected into the first treatment group solely. Complete and Incomplete Freud's Adjuvant were also utilized for both treatment groups to enhance the immune responses against RBD antigen. Immunizations were repeated 2 times in 14-day intervals to boost the immune system of BALB/c mice. The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were examined through immune and cytokine assays.

Results

Our outcomes demonstrate that strong short-term humoral immunity (IgM) was induced in both the first and second treatment group, while long-term humoral responses (IgG) were only observed in the second treatment group. While stronger short- and long-term humoral (IgM and IgG, respectively) were observed in the second treatment group, particular cytokines production (TNF-ɑ and IFN-γ) as a marker of cell-mediated responses were significantly higher in the first treatment group.

Discussion and conclusion

Our study results show the high potentiality of RBD protein as an appropriate stimulating antigen in vaccine synthesis and testifies RBD-based candidate vaccines to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Our outcomes also recommend that Nano-vaccines can be more suitable candidates when stronger long-term immune responses matter.

Vaccination with rEGVac elicits immunoprotection against different stages of Echinococcus granulosus life cycle: A pilot study

Vaccination against dog-sheep transmission cycle is necessary to control cystic echinococcosis (CE) infection. A multi-epitope multi-antigenic recombinant vaccine was developed-comprising the three putative vaccine antigens EG95, Eg14-3-3 and EgEnolase-was cloned and expressed. In a pilot experiment, the multi-antigen vaccine was assessed in 15 dogs and 15 sheep (five experimental groups and three animals in each group) by two subcutaneous doses 28 days apart. To evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine candidate first immunological analysis were done comprising IgG and IgE antibodies and the cytokine IL-4 in sera of the immunized dogs and sheep. Serum IgG, IgE, and IL-4, in particular in the dogs, were increased after the two rounds of vaccine candidate injection, while the total number of hydatid cysts was reduced (~85.43%). This pilot trial indicated significant immune protection efficacy against E. granulosus especially in dogs, while its efficacy in sheep was not as high as dogs. The multi-antigenic candidate vaccine is proposed as a protective vaccine modality in both dogs and sheep.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin is a key cytokine for the immunomodulation of atherogenesis with Freund's adjuvant

Adaptive immune responses regulate the development of atherosclerosis, with a detrimental effect of type 1 but a protective role of type 2 immune responses. Immunization of Apolipoprotein E‐deficient (ApoE^−/−) mice with Freund's adjuvant inhibits the development of atherosclerosis. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an IL7‐like cytokine with essential impact on type 2 immune responses (Th2). Thymic stromal lymphopoietin is strongly expressed in epithelial cells of the skin, but also in various immune cells following appropriate stimulation. In this study, we investigated whether TSLP may be crucial for the anti‐atherogenic effect of Freund's adjuvant. Subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) rapidly led to the expression of TSLP and IL1β at the site of injection. In male mice, CFA‐induced TSLP occurred in immigrated monocytes—and not epithelial cells—and was dependent on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL1β‐signalling. In females, CFA‐induced TSLP was independent of IL1β and upon ovariectomy. CFA/OVA led to a more pronounced imbalance of the T cell response in TSLPR^−/− mice, with increased INFγ/IL4 ratio compared with wild‐type controls. To test whether TSLP contributes to the anti‐atherogenic effects of Freund's adjuvant, we treated ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/−/TSLPR^−/− mice with either CFA/IFA or PBS. ApoE^−/− mice showed less atherogenesis upon CFA/IFA compared with PBS injections. ApoE^−/−/TSLPR^−/− mice had no attenuation of atherogenesis upon CFA/IFA treatment. Freund's adjuvant executes significant immune‐modulating effects via TSLP induction. TSLP‐TSLPR signalling is critical for CFA/IFA‐mediated attenuation of atherosclerosis.

Alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols might be responsible for potent antiarthritic effect of Solanum nigrum

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate in vitro and in vivo antiarthritic potential of Solanum nigrum (S. nigrum).

METHODS

Aqueous methanolic (70∶30) extract of S. nigrum was prepared. The in vitro antiarthritic effect was evaluated in terms of its inhibition of protein denaturation and membrane stabilization. While, formaldehyde, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and Collagen induced arthritis rat models were used to study in vivo antiarthritic activities of S. nigrum at dose level of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg.

RESULTS

The extract exhibited inhibition of protein denaturation and protected red blood cell by stabilizing the membranes in a concentration dependent manner, with maximum effect attained at 800 μg/mL. Moreover, there was a marked reduction in paw edema observed in extract treated animals, when compared to arthritic control animals in all in vivo models and 800 mg/kg dose got maximum reduction of paw edema. In CFA and collagen models, plant extract restored body weight, hematologic parameters, radiographic and histopathologic alterations towards normal.

CONCLUSION

It could be concluded that S. nigrum holds antiarthritic potential, supporting its traditional use in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

A model for anticancer surveillance was pharmacologically developed to evaluate vitality principle in breast cancer rats

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate vitality principle in breast cancer rats by pharmacologically developing a model for anticancer surveillance.

METHODS

The breast cancer in rats was replicated with 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA, i.g., 100 mg/kg) at d001. The anticancer surveillance was defined as the intervals between the primary sensitization and the first challenge stirred with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), the various intervals (k = 0.80) were dominated from d025 (600.00 h) to d095 (2288.82 h). The optimal surveillant status was confirmed with the median effective interval (EI50) from tumor volume regressive curve, for developing the pharmacodynamic model. The tumor and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte histopathology was used to confirm the immune surveillance being affected with CFA in breast cancer tumorigenesis. The availability of this model was confirmed with Shugan Liangxue prescription (SLP), from the vitality principle, and assured further from interleukin-12 levels.

RESULTS

The regressive curve was set up between the intervals and tumor volumes, the EI50 in SLP-treated rats (1475.00 h, YSLP = 0.1026 + 0.8780/[1 + 10(27.1425-8.565x)]) was postponed, which was 1.87 multiple of the EI50 in CFA rats (791.40 h, y = -0.0525 + 0.9452/[1 + 10(30.4870-10.52x)], so did prepone the curve between the intervals and the immunological biomarker, serum interleukin-12 levels, the EI50 in SLP-treated rats (744.90 h, YSLP = -0.0145 + 0.7455/[1 + 10(52.09636-18.13x)]) be 0.78 multiple of the EI50 in CFA rats (960.10 h, YCFA = 0.2460 + 0.7270/[1 + 10 (-67.1546 + 22.52x)]), this immunological action being mediated the anticancer prognosis. Tumor histology was confirmed the more tumor infiltrating lymphocytes activated in SLP rats with CFA stirred immunity than rats only received CFA.

CONCLUSION

The model for anticancer surveillance was pharmacologically established as the optimal interval (791.40 h) between the primary sensitization and the first challenge stirred with complete Freund's adjuvant. This available model was confirmed with SLP, from the vitality principle, for evaluating immunological effects against breast cancer.

Anti-arthritic Activity of Dashanga Ghana (An Ayurvedic Compound Formulation) Against Freund's Adjuvant Induced Arthritis in Charles Foster Albino Rats

Introduction:

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability, limiting the activities of adults throughout the world. Apart from the conventional treatment strategies using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and glucocorticoids, newer and safer drugs are continuously being searched, as long-term usage of these drugs have resulted in adverse effects. Besides this, currently a number of medicinal plants are under scientific evaluation to develop a promising remedy in these cases. There is a need to investigate the complete therapeutic potential of these herbals for providing newer and safer treatment options with minimum side effects. Considering this, a polyherbal Ayurvedic compound formulation (Dashanga Ghana) has been studied in experimental animals to evaluate anti-arthritic activity.

Materials and Methods:

Dashanga Ghana has been prepared in the laboratory by following standard guidelines. Charles Foster albino rats were used to evaluate the activity through Freund's adjuvant induced arthritis model.

Results and Conclusions:

Dashanga Ghana is found to possess significant anti-arthritic activity. Further studies are required to identify and characterize exact active phyto-constituents and to elucidate the exact mechanism of action, which is responsible for the observed pharmacological profile.

Long lasting activity of nociceptive muscular afferents facilitates bilateral flexion reflex pattern in the feline spinal cord

Chronic muscular limb pain requires the adoption of motor patterns distinct from the classic ipsilateral flexion, crossed extension and corresponding reciprocal inhibitions to acute exteroceptive stimulation. Using selective chemical activation of group III/IV afferents in gastrocnemius-soleus (GS) muscles we investigated bilaterally their reflex responses conditioned by (a) acute 'myositis' induced by intramuscular carrageenan; and (b) sub-acute 'myositis' induced by infusion of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Reflex transmission was detected by monosynaptic testing and c-fos staining used to identify increased neuronal activity. In all control experiments with chemical stimulation of group III/IV afferents, ipsilateral responses conformed to the flexor reflex pattern. However, the expected contralateral facilitation of GS motoneurones occurred in fewer than 50% trials while only 9% of trials induced contralateral inhibition of flexor posterior-biceps-semitendinosus (PBSt) motoneurones. During carrageenan acute myositis contralateral PBSt was transiently facilitated by selective activation of group III/IV afferents. During CFA-induced myositis, contralateral only inhibition of GS motoneurones occurred instead of any facilitation, while bidirectionally a crossed facilitation of PBST dominated. These reflex changes were mirrored in an enhanced number of neurones with enhanced c-fos expression. Muscle pain, particularly if chronically persistent, requires another behavioural response pattern than acute exteroceptive pain.

Evaluation of antinociceptive and antirheumatic activity of Grangea maderaspatana (L.) Poir. using experimental models

Introduction:

Grangea maderaspatana (L.) Poir. (Asteraceae), a popular Indian medicinal plant is traditionally used for rheumatism in the knee joint and pain in the muscles.

Aim:

To investigate antinociceptive and antirheumatic activity of G. maderaspatana (L.) Poir. using experimental models.

Materials and Methods:

Antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of G. maderaspatana (L.) Poir. (GMME) (500 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated in rats using tail flick test. Anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity of GMME (1000 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)- induced arthritis models. The degree of arthritis was evaluated by hind paw swelling, body weight changes, arthritic index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), and C-reactive protein (CRP) supported by histopathology of ankle joints.

Results:

GMME treatment showed a significant increase in the latency for tail flick and provided significant protection against carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. 21 days treatment of GMME significantly inhibited paw edema found to be induced by arthritis by CFA in rats. Further, GMME treatment also reversed arthritic index and loss of body weight and reduced CFA-induced rise of ESR, RF, and CRP significantly in rats. Histopathological study of ankle joint revealed that GMME inhibited edema formation and cellular infiltration induced by CFA.

Conclusions:

GMME possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antirheumatic activities.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of the multidrug herbomineral formulation in male Wistar rats against rheumatoid arthritis

Background:

Immunological and inflammatory mechanisms, which may play a role in a number of disorders like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ancient ayurvedic physicians had developed certain dietary and therapeutic measures to arrest or prevent these disorders.

Objective:

Rheuma off gold (RG) is a herbomineral formulation recommended by ayurvedic medical practitioners for treatment of RA. This study was carried out to lend scientific evidence to the efficacy claim for RG in the management of RA in folklore medicine.

Materials and Methods:

Arthritis was induced by complete Freund's adjuvant. Treatment with formulation 100 mg/kg and dexamethasone 2 mg/kg was given to rats intragastrically once a day from day 1 to day 21 and after which estimation of physical, biochemical, and hematological parameters were carried out.

Results:

Treatment of formulation to adjuvant induced arthritic animal showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) improvement in physical parameters like arthritic index, paw edema, paw thickness as well as reduction of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, serum rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The treatment also produced statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in hemoglobin percent and improvement in splenomegaly and thymus index. In the histopathological examination, ameliorative effect of formulation was observed in hyperplasia of synovium, pannus formation, and destruction of the joint space.

Conclusion:

The results obtained in experiments indicated that the formulation significantly inhibited the adjuvant-induced arthritis which was comparable to dexamethasone and had preferable anti-inflammatory effect without significant side effect. Thus, the formulation may be a potential preventive or therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic inflammation and arthritis.

Neuropathic and inflammatory pain are modulated by tuberoinfundibular peptide of 39 residues

Nociceptive information is modulated by a large number of endogenous signaling agents that change over the course of recovery from injury. This plasticity makes understanding regulatory mechanisms involved in descending inhibition of pain scientifically and clinically important. Neurons that synthesize the neuropeptide TIP39 project to many areas that modulate nociceptive information. These areas are enriched in its receptor, the parathyroid hormone 2 receptor (PTH2R). We previously found that TIP39 affects several acute nociceptive responses, leading us to now investigate its potential role in chronic pain. Following nerve injury, both PTH2R and TIP39 knockout mice developed less tactile and thermal hypersensitivity than controls and returned to baseline sensory thresholds faster. Effects of hindpaw inflammatory injury were similarly decreased in knockout mice. Blockade of α-2 adrenergic receptors increased the tactile and thermal sensitivity of apparently recovered knockout mice, returning it to levels of neuropathic controls. Mice with locus coeruleus (LC) area injection of lentivirus encoding a secreted PTH2R antagonist had a rapid, α-2 reversible, apparent recovery from neuropathic injury similar to the knockout mice. Ablation of LC area glutamatergic neurons led to local PTH2R-ir loss, and barley lectin was transferred from local glutamatergic neurons to GABA interneurons that surround the LC. These results suggest that TIP39 signaling modulates sensory thresholds via effects on glutamatergic transmission to brainstem GABAergic interneurons that innervate noradrenergic neurons. TIP39's normal role may be to inhibit release of hypoalgesic amounts of norepinephrine during chronic pain. The neuropeptide may help maintain central sensitization, which could serve to enhance guarding behavior.

Anti-Arthritic Activity of Premna serratifolia Linn., Wood against Adjuvant Induced Arthritis

Adjuvant induced arthritis is a chronic crippling, skeleton-muscular disorder having nearest approximation to human rheumatoid arthritis for which there is currently no medicine available effecting a permanent cure. Even modern drugs used for the amelioration of the symptoms, offer only temporary relief and also produce severe side effects. In the indigenous system of medicine, wood of Premna serratifolia Linn., is reported to be useful in the treatment of arthritis. It is a large shrub, distributed throughout Asia, used against a wide variety of diseases. However, no systematic study has been reported regarding its anti-arthritic activity. This work was aimed at the scientific validation of the ethno-pharmacological claim about its anti-arthritic property. In the present study, anti-arthritic activity of ethanol extract of Premna serratifolia Linn., wood is done by Freund's adjuvant induced arthritis model. Loss in body weight during arthritis condition was corrected on treatment with ethanol extract and standard drug, indomethacin. Biochemical parameters such as hemoglobin content, total WBC, RBC, erythrocyte and sedimentation rate were also estimated. The ethanol extract at the dose of 300 mg/kg body weight inhibited the rat paw edema by 68.32% which is comparable with standard drug indomethacin 74.87% inhibition of rat paw edema after 21 days. The results of the current investigation concluded, ethanol extract of Premna serratifolia Linn., wood possess a significant anti-arthritic activity against adjuvant induced arthritis and justifying its therapeutic role in arthritic condition. The observed anti-arthritic activity may be due to the presence of phytoconstituents such as irridiod glycosides, alkaloids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of methanolic extract of the leaves of Fraxinus floribunda Wallich

Fraxinus floribunda Wallich (Family-Oleaceae) is a wide green tree in the sub-alpine region of Sikkim, India. The methanolic extract of the leaves of Fraxinus floribunda (MEFF) at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/p.o was screened in rats for anti-inflammatory activity by acute-carrageenan induced paw edema, sub-acute cotton pellet induced granuloma and chronic Freund's adjuvant induced arthritis models. In all the three models of anti- inflammatory studies 200 and 400 mg/kg/p.o doses of the extract showed significant effect (P<0.001). Antinociceptive evaluation was performed by writhing and tail-immersion tests in mice. Anti-nociceptive evaluation revealed that MEFF at the dose of 400 mg/kg/p.o had significant activity against the control. The relieving effect was through the peripheral and central mechanism of action of the extract. This study rationalized the ethno medicinal use of the plant for relieving pain in inflammatory pathological conditions like fracture and dislocation.