Echinochrome Ameliorates Physiological, Immunological, and Histopathological Alterations Induced by Ovalbumin in Asthmatic Mice by Modulating the Keap1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Asthma is a persistent inflammatory disease of the bronchi characterized by oxidative stress, airway remodeling, and inflammation. Echinochrome (Ech) is a dark-red pigment with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this research, we aimed to investigate the effects of Ech against asthma-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and histopathological alterations in the spleen, liver, and kidney in mice. Mice were divided into four groups (n = 8 for each): control, asthmatic, and asthmatic mice treated intraperitoneally with 0.1 and 1 mg/kg of Ech. In vitro, findings confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Ech. Ech showed antiasthmatic effects by lowering the serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin 4 (IL-4), and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß). It attenuated oxidative stress by lowering malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) contents and increasing reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), and catalase (CAT) in the liver, spleen, and kidney. Moreover, it protected asthma-induced kidney and liver functions by increasing total protein and albumin and decreasing aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels. Additionally, it ameliorated histopathological abnormalities in the lung, liver, spleen, and kidney. Additionally, molecular docking studies were used to examine the interactions between Ech and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). PCR and Western blot analyses confirmed the association of Ech with Keap1 and, consequently, the regulatory role of Ech in the Keap1-(nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) Nrf2 signaling pathway in the liver, spleen, and kidney. According to our findings, Ech prevented asthma and its complications in the spleen, liver, and kidney. Inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress are two of echinochrome's therapeutic actions in managing asthma by modulating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Immunodiagnosis of Egyptian human fasciolosis gigantica using Fas1 and Fas2 cysteine proteinase antigens.

Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola gigantica is one of the major public health problems in the world including Egypt. Immunodiagnostic methods are more applicable for their better sensitivity and specificity than other methods. The present study was conducted to cysteine proteinase (CP) antigens of F. gigantica in IgG-ELISA to diagnose human fasciolosis. IgG-ELISA with 2 cysteine proteinases of 27 kDa (Fas1) and 29 kDa (Fas2), obtained from the regurgitated materials of adult worms, were evaluated using serum samples from 90 Egyptian patients infected with F. gigantica, 55 patients with other parasitic infections and 50 healthy volunteers. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of Fas1 for detection of F. gigantica infection were 91.1% and 89.1%, respectively. The positivity of the assay was 95%. The positive and negative predicted values were 91% and 86%, respectively. These data suggest that IgG-ELISA with Fas1 is highly sensitive and specific assay and could be used for the immunodiagnosis of human fasciolosis.