Objective: To observe the destructive effect of eggs of Schistosomajaponicum on the splenic structure in C57BL/6 mice.
Methods: The C57BL/6 mice were injected intravenously with eggs of S. japonicum or soluble egg antigen (SEA), or the eggs were injected surgically into the spleens of the mice. Four weeks later, the mice were sacrificed, the splenic paraffin sections were stained with H & E and the splenic structures were observed. Other two groups of mice were infected with single-sex and both sexes of schistosome cercariae, respectively. Nine weeks after the infection, the mice were sacrificed, and the splenic structures were observed and compared among the groups aforementioned.
Results: The splenic structure of mice injected intravenously with eggs were destroyed, and characterized with decreased number of lymphoid follicles and blurred marginal zone. Lymphoid follicles around the eggs injected into the spleen were also seriously depauperated. The splenic weight (0.15 +/- 0.01) g of the mice infected with single-sex cercariae significantly less than that (0.41 +/- 0.03) g of the mice infected with both sexes cercariae (P < 0.01). However, the splenic structure of the mice infected with single-sex cercariae kept integrated.
Conclusion: Eggs of S. japonicum have a destructive effect on the splenic structure in C57BL/6 mice.