Accumulating data suggest an important role of growth factors in autoimmune diseases and parasitic nematode infections. Nematodes are used in clinical studies of autoimmune diseases and parasite-derived molecules are widely studied for their therapeutic potential in various types of disorders. However, the effect of nematode infection on growth factors in autoimmune disorders has not been studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of infection with the intestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus in murine autoimmune models on the production of growth factors. Here, the level of a variety of growth factors related mainly to angiogenesis was evaluated by protein array in the intestinal mucosa of C57BL/6 dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitic mice and in cerebral spinal fluid of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice infected with nematodes. In addition, vessel formation was evaluated in the brains of EAE mice infected with H. polygyrus. A significant influence of nematode infection on the level of angiogenic factors was observed. Parasitic infection of colitic mice resulted in upregulation of mucosal AREG, EGF, FGF-2, and IGFBP-3 in the intestine of the host and better adaptation (infectivity). In EAE mice, infection increased the level of FGF-2 and FGF-7 in CSF. In addition, remodeling of brain vessels was observed, with a higher density of long vessels. Nematode-derived factors are promising tools to fight autoimmune diseases and to study angiogenesis.
Keywords: angiogenesis; colitis; experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; growth factors; nematode adaptation.