Comparision of the Effects of Leishmania Soluble Antigen (LSA) and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on C57BL/6 Mice Macrophage Function

Background: Macrophages activation is the important anti-leishmania immune response. Different signals could affect macrophages development and functional activation. In the present study, we compared the effect of Leishmania Soluble Antigen (LSA) and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on peritoneal macrophage responses. Appropriate activation of macrophages depends on the signals they receive from pathogens and their different functional differentiation is crucial for anti-leishmania effects of macrophages. Materials and Methods: In order to assay C57BL/6 mice macrophage function after LPS or LSA treatment, we measured phagocytic activity, cytokine pattern, and Nitric Oxide (NO) production by macrophages. Results: Phase contrast microscopy showed that LPS-treated macrophages became more granular and spindle-shaped and similar to untreated macrophages, LSA-treated cells displayed round and spindle-shaped morphology. In addition, Nitric oxide assay and cytokine analysis showed that IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α production was significantly reduced in LSA-treated macrophages in comparison with LPS-stimulated cells. It was also found that LSA-treated macrophages represented an anti-inflammatory phenotype compared with LPS-treated macrophages. Conclusion: This anti-inflammatory phenotype was related to increase in IL-10/TNF- α production of LSA-treated macrophages and there was no difference in the amount of TGF-β between LSA- and LPS-treated groups.