Page 78 - MI-2-2

Microbes & Immunity Biological activity of Amazonian plants

extract treatment versus LM extract treatment and SIV 4. Discussion
infection; OH extract treatment and SIV infection versus
LM extract treatment; OH extract treatment and SIV Certainly, in vitro experiments have inherent limitations. In
infection versus LM extract treatment and SIV infection. natural lentivirus infections, the virus surpasses the initial
physical and biochemical barriers of the skin and mucosae,
At the next time interval of 144 h, cells treated with OH leading to virion phagocytosis and infection of CD4 T
+
extract and infected with SIV expressed significantly
more IFN-γ than in cells treated with LM extract, whether cells. Phagocytes, mainly macrophages and dendritic cells,
infected with SIV or not (p-value ranging from 0.0073 to work as Trojan horses, disseminating virions throughout
0.0370), as well as cells treated with OH extract or LM the body, including hard-to-reach tissues. The failure
of innate immune defenses triggers a battle between the
extract alone (p-value ranging from 0.0177 to 0.0252). adaptative immune response and the lentivirus’s multiple
Other comparisons did not show any statistical differences
(p-value ranging from 0.0557 to 0.7666) among the evasion strategies, represented by the coordinated action of
following conditions: OH extract treatment versus LM T and B lymphocytes and other associated immune cells.
The generation of proviral forms in different infected cell
extract treatment and SIV infection; LM extract treatment populations and their migration to immune-privileged
versus LM extract treatment and SIV infection. At the final sites, such as gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the central
240-h incubation period, cells treated with OH extract
expressed significantly more IFN-γ than in cells treated nervous system, lymph nodes, and myeloid cells, makes it
difficult to get rid of lentiviral infection.
In this in vitro
31,32
with OH extract and infected with SIV, as well as cells system, transiently transformed human leukocytes serve
treated with LM extract and infected with SIV (p-value as cell targets for SIV infection, along with established
ranging from 0.0159 to 0.0475). In addition, cells treated leukocyte cell lines such as Hut-78 and Molt-4, which are
33
with LM extract produced significantly more IFN-γ than very suitable for lentivirus infection but exhibit a limited
in cells treated with LM extract and infected with SIV immune response. 26,27 Therefore, this cell system represents
(p=0.0338). Other comparisons (OH extract treatment a valuable model to evaluate cellular immune responses.
27
and SIV infection versus LM extract treatment and SIV A collection of medicinal plants has been methodically
infection; OH extract treatment and SIV infection versus tested for antiretroviral activity, 17,33 with additional
LM extract treatment; OH extract treatment versus LM research focusing on immune responses triggered by
extract treatment) did not show any significant statistical natural products. In the folklore medicine, particularly
27
differences (p-value ranging from 0.0887 to 0.2624).
in the Amazon region of Brazil, the therapeutic properties
Summarizing the collective effects of plant extract of medicinal plants, along with beliefs in their spiritual
treatments on both uninfected and SIV-infected cells, the healing abilities, are typically based on the symptoms and
compounds from both plants positively modulate cytokine signs observed in affected individuals. This knowledge has
expression, highlighting their potential therapeutic been passed down through generations among different
applications. Considering the integration of the lentiviral Amerindian ethnic groups. Therefore, analysis is mainly
34
genome, the behavior of proviral forms within the cell based by the indications of traditional medicine for the
metabolism remains complex, influenced by a plethora of treatment of cancer, diarrhea, renal and cardiovascular
factors, including the metabolic stimuli imposed by the diseases, diabetes, and other conditions. Among species
plant compounds. IL-4 production is mostly triggered of the Chrysobalanaceae family, some are traditionally
by OH extract (Figure 4), while IL-6 (Figure 5) and IL-8 used to treat infectious diseases, cancer, and diabetes. The
(Figure 6) expression are induced by both extracts. The Ochnaceae family, on the other hand, has a much broader
synthesis of IL-10 (Figure 7) is mainly stimulated by LM range of therapeutic applications, including antiretroviral
extract, whereas IFN-γ expression (Figure 8) is much more activity. 33
modulated but strongly stimulated by both extracts. Lentivirus infection in both humans and non-human
In all experiments, cytokine production is proportional primates increases the expression of inflammatory
to the cell density (Figures 4-8). While manual cell cytokines, prominently IL-8, alongside elevated SIV/
counting on the microscope using Trypan blue staining HIV viral proteins synthesis during the virus replication
offers advantages over flow cytometry, such as the ability cycle. The consistently high IL-8 expression observed all
35
to visualize syncytia formation, which indicates the level time intervals, up to 240 h (Figure 6), indicates persistent
of protection conferred by extract treatment. Moreover, SIVmac251 replication and chronic infection (Figure 3).
the cell proliferation and mitotic activity induced by plant This naturally occurs in lentivirus-infected hosts, mainly
extracts (Figures 2 and 3) are clear, in contrast to the in untreated individuals, as well as in in vivo experiments
syncytium formation induced by lentivirus infection. reported by other authors. Notably, the HIV/SIV vpr

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 70 doi: 10.36922/mi.8367