Abstract
BackgroundApis mellifera venom, which has already been recommended as an alternative anti-inflammatory treatment, may be also considered an important source of candidate molecules for biotechnological and biomedical uses, such as the treatment of parasitic diseases.MethodsAfricanized honeybee venom from Apis mellifera was fractionated by RP-C18-HPLC and the obtained melittin was incubated with promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania (L.) infantum. Cytotoxicity to mice peritoneal macrophages was evaluated through mitochondrial oxidative activity. The production of anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines, NO and H2O2 by macrophages was determined.ResultsPromastigotes and intracellular amastigotes were susceptible to melittin (IC50 28.3 μg.mL−1 and 1.4 μg.mL−1, respectively), but also showed mammalian cell cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 5.7 μg.mL−1. Uninfected macrophages treated with melittin increased the production of IL-10, TNF-α, NO and H2O2. Infected melittin-treated macrophages increased IL-12 production, but decreased the levels of IL-10, TNF-α, NO and H2O2.ConclusionsThe results showed that melittin acts in vitro against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania (L.) infantum. Furthermore, they can act indirectly on intracellular amastigotes through a macrophage immunomodulatory effect.
Highlights
Apis mellifera venom, which has already been recommended as an alternative anti-inflammatory treatment, may be considered an important source of candidate molecules for biotechnological and biomedical uses, such as the treatment of parasitic diseases
Apis mellifera venom may provide an important source of candidate molecules for application against parasitic diseases, even though it has already been recommended as an anti-inflammatory treatment [7,8,9]
The present study aimed to evaluate for the first time the effect of melittin as a leishmanicidal agent against L. infantum intracellular amastigotes
Summary
Apis mellifera venom, which has already been recommended as an alternative anti-inflammatory treatment, may be considered an important source of candidate molecules for biotechnological and biomedical uses, such as the treatment of parasitic diseases. Discovering new in vitro hit compounds might be considered relatively easier than crossing the animal-tohuman barrier, which is still a great challenge to drug discovery programs. Bridging this gap between clinical and basic research must be encouraged by health professionals in order to discover effective treatments, especially for neglected diseases [5]. Apis mellifera venom may provide an important source of candidate molecules for application against parasitic diseases, even though it has already been recommended as an anti-inflammatory treatment [7,8,9]
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