Immunomodulatory effect of papaya (Carica papaya) pulp and seed extracts as a potential natural treatment for bacterial stress.

The current study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of Carica papaya pulp and seeds methanol (MeOH) extracts on mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identified 10 active constituents in C. papaya seed MeOH extract and 10 compounds in C. papaya pulp MeOH extract. The experimental animals were divided into negative control (G1) group, positive control (G2) group, pulp extract treated (G3) group, and seed extract treated (G4) group. After infection of animals (G2, G3, and G4), treatments were started for 3 weeks. Estimation of the immunological parameters showed a marked decrease in IgM levels and an increase in IgG levels in the treated groups (G3 and G4) compared with those in G2. The proinflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-12, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TGF-ß1) were decreased in the treated groups (G3 and G4) compared with those in G2. Nitric oxide levels were also decreased, and the percentages of phagocytosis increased compared with those of G2. The results demonstrated the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of C. papaya pulp and seeds MeOH extracts. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Based on the antioxidant and antibacterial activities exhibited by the pulp and seed MeOH extracts investigated in this study, Carica papaya might be considered as a natural source of phytochemicals that could be utilized in novel foods and pharmaceuticals. Further investigation are needed to identify and purify compounds that might be responsible for the observed effects.

Immunodetection of Fasciola gigantica circulating antigen in sera of infected individuals for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis.

Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis is based on the parasitological examination of parasite eggs in stool specimens and serological detection of specific antibodies in serum samples, which are often unreliable diagnostic approaches. Ideally, a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for Fasciola infection should be based on the detection of circulating Fasciola antigen, which implies active infection. Here, a 27-kDa-molecular-mass antigen was identified in a Fasciola gigantica adult worm antigen preparation, excretory-secretory products, and sera from F. gigantica-infected individuals, and it was not detected in antigenic extracts of other parasites and sera from noninfected individuals. The target antigen was isolated and partially characterized as a protein. Immunoperoxidase staining located the target epitope within teguments and guts of F. gigantica adult worms. The performance characteristics of a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on F. gigantica circulating antigen detection in serum (FgCA-27 ELISA) were investigated using sera of 120 parasitologically diagnosed F. gigantica-infected individuals and 80 noninfected individuals. The area under the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for ELISA was significantly high (AUC = 0.961, P < 0.0001) for discriminating Fasciola-infected and noninfected individuals. The developed assay showed high degrees of sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency (>93%), and a significant correlation (r = 0.715, P < 0.0001) between antigen level and parasite egg count was shown. In conclusion, a 27-kDa Fasciola antigen was identified in sera of F. gigantica-infected individuals. A highly sensitive and specific Fasciola antigen detection assay, FgCA-27 ELISA, was developed for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis.

Ultrastructural study of muscles fibers in tick Hyalomma (Hyalomma) anatolicum anatolicum (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae).

In the present study, ticks were obtained from a colony maintained at 28 degrees C and 75% relative humidity in at the Department of Biology, University College Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia and the Transmission Electron Microscope technique (TEM) was used to describes the ultrastructure and description of muscle of the of ixodid tick Hyalomma (Hyalomma) anatolicum anatolicum. The results showed that muscles of the unfed ticks Hyalomma (Hyalomma) anatolicum anatolicum in longitudinal sections are spindle-shaped to cylindrical muscle fibers. In the unfed nymph Hyalomma (Hyalomma) anatolicum anatolicum skeletal and visceral muscles are distinguished according to structure, function and position. These muscles include the capitulum, dorsoventral and leg oblique muscles. All muscle fibers are ensheathed (covered by sheath) in a sarcolemma. Their muscle fibers have striated pattern of successive sarcomeres whose thick myosin filaments are surrounded by orbitals of up to 12 thin actin filaments. The cytoplasm of the epidermal cell appears largely devoted with complicated microtubules present in parallel with long axis of adjacent muscle fibers. The cell membrane invaginates into tubular system extending deeply into the sarcoplasm and closely associated to cisternae of sarcoplasmic reticulum. The tubular system and sarcoplasmic reticulum forming two-membered (dyads) are considered to be the main route of calcium ions whose movement are synchronized with the motor impulse to control muscles contraction. In the sarcoplasm two types of muscle fibers are recognized according to thickness and density and mitochondrial size, distribution and population. Both skeletal and visceral muscles are invaginated by tracheoles and innervated by nerve axons containing synaptic vesicles. The actin and myosin filaments are slightly interrupted and the tubular system sarcoplasmic reticulum is well demonstrated.