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Cellular immune responses in Echinostoma caproni experimentally infected mice
Javier Sotillo1, María Trelis, Bernard Fried
1Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. javier.sotillo@uv.es
Insights
Echinostoma caproni infection in mice increases CD19+ and CD8+ immune cells. These changes in peripheral lymphoid cells, particularly CD8+ T-cells, may influence the chronic helminth infection course.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
- Helminthology
Background:
- The Echinostoma caproni-mice model is crucial for studying chronic intestinal helminth infections.
- Limited understanding exists regarding cellular immune responses in this host-parasite system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the kinetics of circulating CD3+, CD19+ cell populations, and T-cell phenotypes in mice infected with E. caproni.
- To elucidate the impact of E. caproni infection on peripheral lymphoid cell populations.
Main Methods:
- Experimental infection of mice with Echinostoma caproni.
- Analysis of circulating CD3+ and CD19+ cell populations.
- Assessment of T-cell phenotype profiles over time post-infection.
Main Results:
- CD3+ cell populations remained stable throughout the experiment.
- A significant increase in CD19+ cells was observed from 4 weeks post-infection onwards.
- A marked increase in CD8+ cell populations was noted by 2 weeks post-infection.
Conclusions:
- Echinostoma caproni infection significantly alters peripheral lymphoid cell populations in mice.
- The observed changes, especially in CD8+ cells, may be critical in determining the infection's progression.
- CD8+ cells' role as a source of IFN-γ is highlighted as potentially important.
Abstract:
The Echinostoma caproni-mice system is extensively used as an experimental model for the study of the factors involved in the establishment of chronic intestinal helminth infections. Although several parameters of the immunobiology of the host-parasite system have been studied in detail, the current knowledge of the cellular responses in these infections is still scarce. In the present paper, we analyze the kinetics of the circulating CD3(+) and CD19(+) cell populations and the different T-cell phenotype profiles in mice experimentally infected with E. caproni. Whereas the CD3(+) populations remained stable during the complete experiment, a marked increase in CD19(+) cells was observed from 4 weeks post-infection and beyond. Similarly, a marked increase in CD8(+) cell populations was observed in the 2 week post-infection. Our results show that E. caproni infection in mice alters the peripheral lymphoid cell populations, which may be important to determine the course of the infection. In this sense, CD8(+) cells can be essential in relation to their role as a source of IFN-γ.
