Therapeutic administration of KM+ lectin protects mice against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection via interleukin-12 production in a toll-like receptor 2-dependent mechanism

Am J Pathol. 2008 Aug;173(2):423-32. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2008.080126. Epub 2008 Jul 3.

Abstract

KM(+) is a mannose-binding lectin from Artocarpus integrifolia that induces interleukin (IL)-12 production by macrophages and protective T helper 1 immune response against Leishmania major infection. In this study, we performed experiments to evaluate the therapeutic activity of jackfruit KM(+) (jfKM(+)) and its recombinant counterpart (rKM(+)) in experimental paracoccidioidomycosis. To this end, jfKM(+) or rKM(+) was administered to BALB/c mice 10 days after infection with Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis. Thirty days postinfection, lungs from the KM(+)-treated mice contained significantly fewer colony-forming units and little to no organized granulomas compared to the controls. In addition, lung homogenates from the KM(+)-treated mice presented higher levels of nitric oxide, IL-12, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, whereas higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were detected in the control group. With mice deficient in IL-12, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, or TLR adaptor molecule MyD88, we demonstrated that KM(+) led to protection against P. brasiliensis infection through IL-12 production, which was dependent on TLR2. These results demonstrated a beneficial effect of KM(+) on the severity of P. brasiliensis infection and may expand its potential use as a novel immunotherapeutic molecule.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Artocarpus
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-12 / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-12 / genetics
  • Lectins, C-Type / metabolism*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mannose Receptor
  • Mannose-Binding Lectins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Paracoccidioides / drug effects*
  • Paracoccidioidomycosis / drug therapy*
  • Paracoccidioidomycosis / metabolism
  • Plant Lectins / pharmacology
  • Plant Lectins / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / metabolism*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Mannose Receptor
  • Mannose-Binding Lectins
  • Myd88 protein, mouse
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • Plant Lectins
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Tlr4 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Interleukin-12
  • Nitric Oxide