Korean Red Ginseng enhances pneumococcal ?pep27 vaccine efficacy by inhibiting reactive oxygen species production.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Streptococcus pneumoniae, more than 90 serotypes of which exist, is recognized as an etiologic agent of pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Immunization with a pneumococcal pep27 mutant (?pep27) has been shown to confer comprehensive, long-term protection against even nontypeable strains. However, ?pep27 is effective as a vaccine only after at least three rounds of immunization. Therefore, treatments capable of enhancing the efficiency of ?pep27 immunization should be identified without delay. Panax ginseng Mayer has already been shown to have pharmacological and antioxidant effects. Here, the ability of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) to enhance the efficacy of ?pep27 immunization was investigated.

Methods

Mice were treated with KRG and immunized with ?pep27 before infection with the pathogenic S. pneumoniae strain D39. Total reactive oxygen species production was measured using lung homogenates, and inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase and antiapoptotic protein expression was determined by immunoblotting. The phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages was also tested after KRG treatment.

Results

Compared with the other treatments, KRG significantly increased survival rate after lethal challenge and resulted in faster bacterial clearance via increased phagocytosis. Moreover, KRG enhanced ?pep27 vaccine efficacy by inhibiting reactive oxygen species production, reducing extracellular signal-regulated kinase apoptosis signaling and inflammation.

Conclusion

Taken together, our results suggest that KRG reduces the time required for immunization with the ?pep27 vaccine by enhancing its efficacy.

SUBMITTER: Lee SO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6437420 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature