Study of some immunomodulatory properties of the new immunoregulant adamantylamide dipeptide in schistosoma mansoni infected mice treated with praziquantel

ABSTRACT

The effect of the new immunoregulant adamantylamide dipeptide [AdDP] was studied in Schistosoma mansoni [S. mansoni] infected mice treated with praziquantel [PZ], using three parameters, worm and tissue egg loads, hepatic granuloma volume and percent lymphocytes forming EAC-rosettes, Three groups of mice were infected with S. mansoni cercariae the first served as infected untreated control; the second received oral PZ [2 X 500 mg/kg] 45 days post infection; the third was given PZ as in the second group and 2 weeks later AdDP was administered [2 X 0.5 mg/mouse] intraperitoneally. Animals were sacrificed one week after AdDP therapy or day equivalent for the other groups. Significant reduction in hepatic granuloma volume was recorded after PZ alone [45.76%] versus 17.96% when AdDP was given after PZ, compared to infected untreated control. No signifcant change was recorded in the percent lymphocytes forming EAC-rosettes, or in the worm and tissue egg loads, between mice receiving PZ alone and those treated with PZ and AdDP, compared to infected untreated control. Findings revealed that AdDP could counteract PZ-induccd immunodepression of granuloma volume, but could neither enhance a non suppressed immunologic reaction [EAC-rosettes] nor help ridding the animal from an established infection after PZ therapy