FIGURE 8.

Parasite load in Vit.D₃/RA and CDCA/RA pre-treated THP-1 macrophage cells infected with promastigotes. THP-1 human macrophage cell lines were pre-treated with Vit.D₃/RA, CDCA/RA for 24 h to downregulate the TACO gene, then infected with L. donovani promastigotes. Parasite loads were determined by calculating the total number of amastigotes per 100 macrophages at different time intervals (2, 4, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h) post-infection. The values listed are mean ± SD of three independent cultures. Significant differences are indicated by asterisks: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.