Trichinella spiralis infection and protein deficiency: study of mast cells, goblet cells and specific antibodies in lung and intestine

VILA CC; FALDUTO GH; CALCAGNO MA; PALLARO A; VENTURIELLO SM; SARACINO MP; BALDI PC

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXIV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología; 2016

We have shown that protein deficient rats infected with Trichinella spiralis have a more severe infection, with a delayed expulsion of adult worms (AW).Here we studied the effect of protein deficiency on the appearance of mast and goblet cells (important in anti-T. spiralis response), and of antibodies (Abs) against Excretory-Secretory Products from muscle larvae (ML-ESP) and AW (AW-ESP) in lung and intestine during the infection. Weaning Wistar rats received protein-deficient diet (PD) containing 6.5% casein, or a control diet (C, 20% casein). After ten days, both groups were orally infected with ML; non-infected rats served as controls (n=3 per group). At days 3, 6, 9, 13 and 33 post-infection (p.i.) lungs and intestine were obtained. Histological analyses for counting mast cells (Alcian Blue, Safranin) and goblet cells (Haematoxilin-PAS) were performed. Data were analyzed using the two-way ANOVA test. Lung and intestine tissue extracts were obtained at days 6 and 13 p.i. (PERFEXT method) and specific Abs were detected by ELISA.Intestine: Goblet cells increased, compared to non-infected rats, from day 6 p.i. in C group (p