MCP-1 and MIP-2 levels during Echinococcus granulosus infections in mice

Ten BALB/c mice were infected with the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. After the infection, serum was collected at different periods of time and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) were determined. The level of MCP-1 increased from at day 20 post infection (p.i.), to a maximum of on day 60 p.i., then decreased to on day 130 p.i. A second peak was observed at day 150 p.i. In addition, MIP-2 was detectable in serum as late as day 100 p.i. The highest level was observed on day 130 p.i., and decreased thereafter. Serum from noninfected animals (controls) contained no detectable levels of either MCP-1 or MIP-2. However, MCP-1 and MIP-2 appear to be implicated in E. granulosus infections, but their exact role during the disease is under determination.