Cellular and molecular changes and immune response in the intestinal mucosa during Trichinella spiralis early infection in rats

SARACINO, MARÍA PRISCILA; VILA, CECILIA CELESTE; COHEN, MELINA; GENTILINI, MARÍA VIRGINIA; FALDUTO, GUIDO HERNÁN; CALCAGNO, MARCELA ADRIANA; ROUX, ESTELA; VENTURIELLO, STELLA MARIS; MALCHIODI, EMILIO LUIS

PARASITES AND VECTORS

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

Año: 2020 vol. 13

1756-3305

AbstractBackground:: The main targets of the host?s immune system in Trichinella spiralis infection are the adult worms (AW),at the gut level, and the migrant or newborn larvae (NBL), at systemic and pulmonary levels. Most of the studies carried out in the gut mucosa have been performed on the Payer?s patches and/or the mesenteric lymph nodes but noton the lamina propria, therefore, knowledge on the gut immune response against T. spiralis remains incomplete.Methods: This study aimed at characterizing the early mucosal immune response against T. spiralis, particularly, theevents taking place between 1 and 13 dpi. For this purpose, Wistar rats were orally infected with muscle larvae of T.spiralis and the humoral and cellular parameters of the gut immunity were analysed, including the evaluation of theADCC mechanism exerted by lamina propria cells.Results: A marked infammation and structural alteration of the mucosa was found. The changes involved anincrease in goblet cells, eosinophils and mast cells, and B and T lymphocytes, initially displaying a Th1 profle, characterised by the secretion of IFN-γ and IL-12, followed by a polarization towards a Th2 profle, with a marked increase inIgE, IgG1, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 levels, which occurred once the infection was established. In addition, the helminthotoxicactivity of lamina propria cells demonstrated the role of the intestine as a place of migrant larvae destruction, indicating that not all the NBLs released in the gut will be able to reach the muscles.Conclusions: The characterization of the immune response triggered in the gut mucosa during T. spiralis infectionshowed that not only an efector mechanism is directed toward the AW but also towards the NBL as a cytotoxic activity was observed against NBL exerted by lamina propria cells.Keywords: Trichinella spiralis, Gut immunity, Infammation, Innate immunity cell, Antibodies response, T cell