Objective: To investigate the levels of cytokines in the sera of mice chronically infected with the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus, and explore the mechanisms of immune regulation against parasite infection.
Methods: The protoscoleces were isolated from the livers and lungs of sheep infected with E. granulosus, and then inoculated intraperitoneally to BALB/c mice (2 000 for each mouse), to establish the mouse model of E. granulosus infection. The mice in the control group were injected intraperitoneally with an equal volume of PBS. The sera of both control and infected mice were collected to test the levels of multiple cytokines by using the Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) 5 months post-infection.
Results: In contrast to the control group, the multiple cysts were found in the abdominal cavity, livers and lungs of the infected mice. Moreover, the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, IL-12P70 and TNF-α in the sera of the infected mice were significantly higher than those in the control group (t = 2.713-9.255, all P < 0.05) while the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were elevated post-infection (t = 3.936, P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Higher inflammatory cytokines in the mice chronically infected with the larvae of E. granulosus, may benefit for the limitation of parasite growth.
[摘要]目的 研究细粒棘球蚴慢性感染阶段小鼠血清中细胞因子水平的变化, 探索机体对抗寄生虫感染的免疫应答 机制。方法 从病羊内脏分离细粒棘球绦虫原头节, 注射入BALB/c小鼠腹腔 (2 000个原头节/只), 建立细粒棘球蚴感染 小鼠模型, 对照组小鼠腹腔注射等体积PBS。于感染5个月后, 采集对照及感染组小鼠血清, 采用流式液相多重蛋白定量 技术检测血清中多种细胞因子水平并分析。结果 感染组小鼠腹腔、肝脏、肺脏等部位均出现多个单一性包囊; 其血清 中IL-17A、IL-6、IFN-γ、MCP-1、IL-12P70、TNF-α等炎症因子水平均显著高于对照组 (t = 2.713～9.255, P 均< 0.05); 而抑 炎因子IL-10水平亦显著升高 (t = 3.936, P < 0.001) 。结论 细粒棘球蚴慢性感染阶段小鼠体内炎症因子水平较高, 有助 于抑制虫体生长。.
Keywords: Cytometric bead array (CBA); Echinococcus granulosus; Inflammatory cytokine; Protoscoleces.