Fig. 5

Effect of Vilda, DDS, and Vilda/DDS on TGF-β as a fibrotic marker on S. mansoni-infected mice. (a) Representative photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining (IHC) of hepatic sections with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) (× 200, scale bar = 100µm) showing as follows: liver sections of normal control and normal treated groups (Control, Vilda, DDS, and Vilda/DDS) demonstrated scarce hepatocytes with positive cytoplasmic reactivity to TGF-β antibody (arrow). Liver sections from (Infected to Inf + PZQ) revealed positive expression of TGFβ along ova of Schistosoma (arrowhead), fibroblast encircling granuloma (circle), inflammatory cells with nuclear expression (cube), and neighboring hepatocytes with cytoplasmic reactivity (arrow). The expressions were graded as intense in the Infected group, high in Inf + DDS group, moderate in Inf + PZQ, and few in Inf + Vilda and Inf + Vilda/DDS groups. (b) Quantitative analysis of the IHC expression of hepatic TGF-β. Data are presented as mean ± SEM, (n = 6) and analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey multiple comparisons. ^aSignificantly different from normal control group (Control), ^bSignificantly different from the infected control group (infected), ^cSignificantly different from Inf + PZQ group, and ^dSignificantly different from Inf + Vilda/DDS group, at P < 0.05. Inf + PZO, infected mice treated with paraziquantel; Inf + Vilda/DDS, infected mice treated with a combination of vildagliptin and diaminodiphenyl sulphone; Inf + Vilda, infected mice treated with vildagliptin; Inf + DDS, infected mice treated with diaminodiphenyl sulphone. All treatments were administered for 14 consecutive days, except PZQ for two consecutive days.