ABSTRACT
This work evaluated the immunomodulatory and anti-infective effects of Cratylia mollis lectin (Cramoll) in a model of wound infection induced by S. aureus. Swiss mice were divided into 3 groups (n = 12/group): non-inoculated (Control group); inoculated with S. aureus (Sa group); inoculated with S. aureus and treated with Cramoll (Sa + Cramoll group). In each animal, one lesion (64 mm2) was induced on the back and contaminated with S. aureus (~4.0 × 106 CFU/wound). The treatment with Cramoll (5 µg/animal/day) started 1-day post-infection (dpi) and extended for 10 days. Clinical parameters (wound size, inflammatory aspects, etc.) were daily recorded; while cytokines levels, bacterial load and histological aspects were determined in the cutaneous tissue at 4th dpi or 11th dpi. The mice infected with S. aureus exhibited a delay in wound contraction and the highest inflammatory scores. These effects were impaired by the treatment with Cramoll which reduced the release of key inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, NO, VEGF) and the bacterial load at wound tissue. Histological evaluations showed a restauration of skin structures in the animals treated with Cramoll. Taken together, these results provide more insights about the healing and immunomodulatory properties of Cramoll and suggest this lectin as a lead compound for treatment of wound infection.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Fabaceae , Immunomodulating Agents/pharmacology , Plant Lectins/pharmacology , Staphylococcal Infections/prevention & control , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Wound Infection/prevention & control , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/isolation & purification , Bacterial Load , Disease Models, Animal , Fabaceae/chemistry , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Immunomodulating Agents/isolation & purification , Mice , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Plant Lectins/isolation & purification , Staphylococcal Infections/immunology , Staphylococcal Infections/metabolism , Staphylococcal Infections/microbiology , Staphylococcus aureus/growth & development , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism , Wound Healing/drug effects , Wound Infection/immunology , Wound Infection/metabolism , Wound Infection/microbiologyABSTRACT
The latex of Euphorbia tirucalli L. (LET) has great etnopharmacological relevance for several traditional communities. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo (using Tenebrio molitor larvae) antimicrobial effects of LET were evaluated. LET did not inhibit the growth of S. aureus, however, a reduction on staphyloxanthin production (an important virulence factor of S. aureus) was observed. LET (at 10 µL/kg) was also able to enhance the survival of larvae infected with a lethal dose of S. aureus, an effect associated with reduction in the numbers of haemocytes. Furthermore, haemocytes from LET-treated larvae exhibited dysfunctional lysosome activity. These results indicate the effectiveness of LET as an anti-infective agent which could be useful as source of lead molecules for the development of new therapies against S. aureus-induced infections.