Genetical and cellular induction of interferon genes via the treatment with (Allium sativum) garlic extract against recombinant influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 H1N PR8 infection

Background

It had been established that; influenza A viral infection is connected in a big range with stimulation of many cellular kinases which either being necessary for viral live cycle or as a kind of antagonistic response against this attack hoping to stop the viral invasion. This induction includes many cellular mediator's response. Among them; induction of Retinoic Inducible Genes I (RIG I) which is classified as the precursor of interferon β activation thereby the activation of another mediator like IRF3.

The objective of this study is to identify and establish a new and natural antiviral active compound which might help in enhancing the cellular immunity against influenza A virus thereby attenuating its ability to invade living cells.

Methods

In this work, variety of concentration of Alluim sativum (AS) or garlic plant extract; 12.5, 25, 50 μg/ml were tested on MDCKII or A549 cell as an in vitro experimental work to examine its ability to abort the replication of Influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 H1N1 (IAV PR8) strain depending on many techniques like, viral plaque assay, gene expression by real time PCR (rt PCR), luciferase assay and immunofluorescent stating.

Results

Our data explained that there was weak replication ability as explained in viral replication titer by plaque assay whether after 8 hours post infection using 0.1 MOI or even after 24 hours post infection using 0.01 MOI of influenza A PR8, this finding was propped with a prosaic expression of some viral protein genes like NS1, NP. the immunofluorescent staining also supported those data via the weak localization of NS1 protein during the treatment with garlic extract and that’s normally is connected with high induction of cellular gene expression representing by RIG I, IRF3 mediator and Interferon β genes necessary for induction of type I interferon caused by treatment with garlic extract.

Conclusion

Allium sativum plant extract sequestered influenza A virus PR8 replication significantly especially, at concentration of 50 μg/ ml which is the best concentration that can act against the virus due to acute induction of cellular proteins represented by RIG I pathogen recognizer and other proteins that interferes with activation of interferon then preventing the viral competition with cellular immunity to invade the cells.

In another word, the garlic extract is a direct inducer for RIG I and other mediators important for activation of type I interferon pathway as an immune response to prevent viral attack.