The Cytotoxic and Immunomodulatory Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles and Sargassum oligocystum on Toxoplasma gondii In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and methanolic extract of Persian Gulf brown algae (Sargassum oligocystum) on the growth and cell death of T. gondii tachyzoites in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Six to eightweekold female BALB/c mice (n = 28) were used for the treatment experiment and infected with 105 T. gondii tachyzoites. Four days after treatment, IFN-γ and the levels of splenic lymphocyte proliferation were measured. All the groups were challenged with T. gondii, and the survival rate of experimental mice was assessed. The effects of TiO2NPs and S. oligocystum on the proliferation of T. gondii were evaluated by MTT and annexin V staining in vitro. Results: Based on the results, the combination of S. oligocystum extract and TiO2NPs had more cytotoxic effect compared to their use separately. The results of challenge test also revealed that mice received combined treatment had the highest life time expectancy than those receiving the treatment alone. Conclusion: The simultaneous use of immunomodulatory compounds for the stimulation of the immune system as well as S. oligocystum and TiO2NPs with antiparasitic activity can be promising to develop an effective drug for the treatment of toxoplasmos.

Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Miltefo-sine on the Toxoplasma gondii RH Strain

“…The last one is of the utmost interest such that it remarkably decreases costs and time for drug development, particularly when there is little inducement to invest in de novo drug discovery. Considering the side effects of sulfadiazine or clindamycin in the treatment of toxoplasmosis ( 21 ) and owing to the promising impacts of miltefosine on cancers and leishmaniasis etc., we used miltefosine instead of the standard therapy regimens, including pyrimethamine combined with sulfadiazine or clindamycin, for toxoplasmosis. The current original study was conducted to appraise the apoptotic and cytotoxic effects of miltefosine on T. gondii RH strains in vitro.…”

“…In the next step, 400 μl of binding buffer was added, and the final analysis was accomplished using a flow cytometry device. The results obtained for 24-, 48-, and 72-h incubation were analyzed by CellQuest TM software ( 20 – 21 ).…”