Perspectives for the use of latex peptidases from Calotropis procera for control of inflammation derived from Salmonella infections.

BACKGROUND

Anti-inflammatory properties have been attributed to latex proteins of the medicinal plant Calotropis procera.

PURPOSE: A mixture of cysteine peptidases (LPp2) from C. procera latex was investigated for control of inflammatory mediators and inflammation in a mouse model of Salmonella infection.

METHODS

LPp2 peptidase activity was confirmed by the BANA assay. Cytotoxicity assays were conducted with immortalized macrophages. Peritoneal macrophages (pMØ) from Swiss mice were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in 96-well plates and then cultured with nontoxic concentrations of LPp2. Swiss mice intravenously received LPp2 (10 mg/kg) and then were challenged intraperitoneally with virulent Salmonella enterica Ser. Typhimurium.

RESULTS

LPp2 was not toxic at dosages lower than 62.2 μg/mL. LPp2 treatments of pMØ stimulated with LPS impaired mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10. LPp2 increased the intracellular bacterial killing in infected pMØ. Mice given LPp2 had a lower number of leukocytes in the peritoneal cavity in comparison to control groups 6 h after infection. The bacterial burden and histological damage were widespread in target organs of mice receiving LPp2.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that LPp2 contains peptidases with strong anti-inflammatory properties, which may render mice more susceptible to early disseminated infection caused by Salmonella.