Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Quality Control Department, Research & Production Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Alborz, Iran.
Microb Pathog. 2022 Nov;172:105731. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105731. Epub 2022 Aug 27.
Streptococcus pneumonia is classified as a gram-positive bacterial pathogen that causes asymptomatic or symptomatic respiratory infections. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of designed encapsulated saponin by ferritin nanoparticles in the healing progression of experimental bacterial pneumonia. The saponin encapsulated by ferritin followed the disassembly-reassembly process. Pneumonia was induced by the preparation of Streptococcus pneumonia. A total of 50 NMRI mice were divided into control, pneumonia, pneumonia + ferritin, pneumonia + saponin, and pneumonia + encapsulated saponin by ferritin nanoparticles (Nano Saponin) groups. ELISA, Real-time PCR, and Western blotting were used to measure sera IL-4 level, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnf-α), and protein cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression, respectively. COX-2 protein expression, Tnf-α gene expression, and serum levels of IL-4 reduced compared to the pneumonia group. The histopathology results revealed that the rates of inflammation, mucus secretion, pulmonary hemorrhage, thickening of the alveoli wall, and secretion of inflammatory cells were lower in the Nano Saponin group than in the other groups. This study suggests that Glycyrrhiza glabra saponin and encapsulated saponin by ferritin nanoparticles oral consumption with anti-Tnf-α effect besides decreasing protein expression of COX-2 allows mice with pneumonia to recover.
肺炎链球菌被归类为革兰氏阳性细菌病原体，可引起无症状或有症状的呼吸道感染。本研究旨在评估铁蛋白纳米粒包裹的设计皂苷在实验性细菌性肺炎愈合进展中的作用。铁蛋白包裹的皂苷遵循解体-重组过程。通过制备肺炎链球菌诱导肺炎。将 50 只 NMRI 小鼠分为对照组、肺炎组、肺炎+铁蛋白组、肺炎+皂苷组和肺炎+铁蛋白纳米粒包裹皂苷（Nano Saponin）组。酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）、实时 PCR 和 Western blot 分别用于测量血清白细胞介素-4（IL-4）水平、肿瘤坏死因子-α（Tnf-α）和蛋白环氧化酶-2（COX-2）基因表达。与肺炎组相比，COX-2 蛋白表达、Tnf-α 基因表达和血清 IL-4 水平降低。组织病理学结果显示，Nano Saponin 组的炎症、黏液分泌、肺出血、肺泡壁增厚和炎症细胞分泌的发生率低于其他组。本研究表明，甘草皂苷和铁蛋白纳米粒包裹的皂苷通过抑制 Tnf-α 的表达和降低 COX-2 蛋白的表达，可使肺炎小鼠恢复健康。
