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Anti-Eimeria activity of berberine and identification of associated gene expression changes in the mouse jejunum infected with Eimeria papillata

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Abstract

Plant-based natural products are promising sources for identifying novel agents with potential anti-Eimeria activity. This study explores possible effects of berberine on Eimeria papillata infections in the jejunum of male Swiss albino mice. Berberine chloride, when daily administered to mice during infection, impairs intracellular development and multiplication of E. papillata, evidenced as 60 % reduction of maximal fecal output of oocysts on day 5 p.i. Concomitantly, berberine attenuates the inflammatory response, evidenced as decreased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, IFNγ, and iNOS, as well as the oxidative stress response, evidenced as impaired increase in malondialdehyde, nitrate, and H2O2 and as prevented decrease in glutathione and catalase activity. Berberine also alters gene expression in the infected jejunum. On day 5 p.i., mRNA expression of 29 genes with annotated functions is more than 10-fold upregulated and that of 14 genes downregulated. Berberine downregulates the genes Xaf1, Itgb3bp, and Faim3 involved in apoptotic processes and upregulates genes involved in innate immune responses, as e.g., Colec11, Saa2, Klra8, Clec1b, and Crtam, especially the genes Cpa3, Fcer1a, and Mcpt1, Mcpt2, and Mcpt4 involved in mast cell activity. Additionally, 18 noncoding lincRNA species are differentially expressed more than 10-fold under berberine. Our data suggest that berberine induces hosts to exert anti-Eimeria activity by attenuating the inflammatory and oxidative stress response, by impairing apoptotic processes, and by activating local innate immune responses and epigenetic mechanisms in the host jejunum. Berberine has the potential as an anti-Eimeria food additive in animal farming.

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Acknowledgments

Authors extend their appreciations to King Ab-dulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) for funding the work through the project no. LGP-34-86.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Mohamed A. Dkhil, Mahmoud S. Metwaly, Saleh Al-Quraishy & Suliman Y. Al Omar

  2. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

    Mohamed A. Dkhil

  3. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

    Nour E. Sherif

  4. Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma, Biberach, Germany

    Denis Delic

  5. Department of Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Frank Wunderlich

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  1. Mohamed A. Dkhil
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  2. Mahmoud S. Metwaly
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Correspondence to Mohamed A. Dkhil.

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Dkhil, M.A., Metwaly, M.S., Al-Quraishy, S. et al. Anti-Eimeria activity of berberine and identification of associated gene expression changes in the mouse jejunum infected with Eimeria papillata . Parasitol Res 114, 1581–1593 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4344-z

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