The effect of triterpene glycoside on survival and changes in the cytokine profile in the spleen of BALB/c mice under conditions of lethal influenza infection A/WSN/1/33(H1N1)

BACKGROUND: Currently, the search and development of compounds, including herbal ones, with anti-influenza activity are relevant.

AIM: To study the effect of oral administration of the triterpene glycoside saponin tauroside Sx1 on survival and changes in the cytokine profile of the spleen of mice under conditions of lethal influenza infection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 78 male BALB/c mice aged 4–6 weeks, weighing 16–18 g, were used. They were divided into groups: first — control group; the second was a group of animals infected with influenza virus A/WSN/1/33(H1N1); the third was a group of infected animals that received saponin tauroside Sx1, isolated from the Crimean ivy Hedera taurica (Hibberd) Carrière at a dose of 11.8 mg/kg per day against the background of a viral infection for 3 days. The survival and expression of interleukins-1β and -10 in the spleen of mice on the 4th and 14th days of the experiment were studied. Spleen fragments were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Microscopic analysis was performed using a video microscopy system. Immunohistochemical study was performed according to a standard protocol. Intergroup differences were assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Mann–Whitney U test using MS Office (Excel 2010) and Statistica 10.0.

RESULTS: Administration of saponin tauroside Sx1 significantly increased the average life expectancy of animals by 4.6 days compared to the group without correction; survival rate was 30.0% (p=0.0233). Against the background of influenza infection, an increase in the number of cells secreting interleukin-1β was detected in the spleen of mice. In the mantle zone of the second group, the level of cytokine expression exceeded the control values by 3.41 times (p=0.0001), and the values of the third group — by 3.38 times (p=0.0001). By the 14th day of the experiment in the mantle zone, expression in the group with saponin administration increased, exceeding the indicators of the group without correction by 34.78% (p=0.0482). By the 4th day of the experiment, in both experimental groups, the number of cells positive for interleukin-10 increased in the mantle zone and decreased compensatoryly in the marginal zone. By the 14th day, in the group without correction, a decrease in expression by 24.86% (p=0.0487) was recorded; after the administration of saponin, the number of immunopositive cells was practically no different from the control (p=0.0443).

CONCLUSION: Therapeutic administration of saponin tauroside Sx1 stabilizes the cytokine profile of the spleen of mice and promotes their better survival in conditions of lethal influenza infection.