Korean J Parasitol.  2013 Oct;51(5):583-588.

Alteration of Cytokine Production during Visceral Larva Migrans by Toxascaris leonina in Mice

• Kang SA
• Park MK
• Cho MK
• Yu HS

Abstract

To determine alteration of immune responses during visceral larva migrans (VLM) caused by Toxascaris leonina at several time points, we experimentally infected mice with embryonated eggs of T. leonina and measured T-helper (Th) cell-related serial cytokine production after infection. At day 5 post infection (PI), most larvae were detected from the lungs, spleen, intestine, and muscle. Expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and CCL11 (eotaxin) showed a significant increase in most infected organs, except the intestine. However, expression of the CXCL1 (Gro-alpha) gene was most highly enhanced in the intestine at day 14 PI. Th1-related cytokine secretion of splenocytes showed increases at day 28 PI, and the level showed a decrease at day 42 PI. Th2-related cytokine secretion of splenocytes also showed an increase after infection; in particular, IL-5 level showed a significant increase at day 14 PI, and the level showed a decrease at day 28 PI. However, levels of Th17-related cytokines, IL-6 and IL-17A, showed gradual increases until day 42 PI. In conclusion, Th1, Th2, and Th17-related cytokine production might be important in immune responses against T. leonina VLM in experimental mice.

Keyword

Toxascaris leonina; visceral larva migrans (VLM); Th1; Th2; Th17; cytokine

MeSH Terms

Animals
Brain/parasitology
Cytokines/*metabolism
Female
Gene Expression Regulation
Heart/parasitology
Interleukins/*metabolism
Intestines/parasitology
Larva Migrans, Visceral/*immunology/parasitology
Liver/parasitology
Lung/parasitology/pathology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Muscles/parasitology
Spleen/parasitology
Th1 Cells/immunology
Th17 Cells/immunology
Th2 Cells/immunology
Toxascaris/*immunology
Cytokines
Interleukins