BLOCKADE OF PGE2, PGD2 RECEPTORS CONFERS PROTECTION AGAINST PREPATENT SCHISTOSOMIASIS MANSONI IN MICE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Egypt.

2 Department of Parasitology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, P.O. Box 30 Imbaba, Giza, 12411, Egypt.

3 Department of Immunology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, P.O. Box 30 Imbaba, Giza, 12411, Egypt.

4 Department of Haematology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, P.O. Box 30 Imbaba, Giza, 12411, Egypt.

5 Department of Central Laboratory, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, P.O. Box 30 Imbaba, Giza, 12411, Egypt.+

6 Department Biological Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Hofouf 31982, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease with considerable social impact. Despite the availability of affordable chemotherapy, drug treatment has not significantly reduced the overall number of disease cases. Among other mechanisms, the parasite produces PGE2 and PGD2 to evade host immune defenses. To investigate the role of PGE2 and PGD2 in schistosomiasis, we evaluated the effects of L-161,982, Ah6809 (PGE2 receptor antagonists alone or combined with each other) and MK-0524 (PGD2 receptor antagonist) during prepatent Schistosoma mansoni infection. Drugs were administered intraperitoneally an hour before and 24 hours after infection of C57BL/6 mice with 100 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. L-161,982, Ah6809, their combination and MK-0524 caused partial protection against pre-patent S. mansoni infection which was mediated by biasing the immune response towards Th1 phenotype. These results showed that blockade of PGE2 and PGD2 receptors confers partial protection against pre-patent S. mansoni infection in mice and that they may be useful as adjunctive therapy to current anti-schistosomal drugs or vaccines.

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