Giardia duodenalis stimulates partial maturation of bovine dendritic cells associated with altered cytokine secretion and induction of T‐cell proliferation

Abstract

Giardia duodenalis is an important intestinal parasite in animals and humans. The role of dendritic cells (DC) in the initiation of the immune response against G.duodenalis is poorly documented. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that G.duodenalis interferes with bovine DC function. Therefore, the effect of trophozoites and excretion/secretion products on bovine monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDC) was investigated. We assessed MoDC maturation and cytokine production of G.duodenalis-stimulated MoDC and the ability of these MoDC to take up antigen and induce lymphocyte proliferation. Little or no upregulation of maturation markers CD40 and CD80 was measured, but MHCII expression was increased after stimulation with low parasite concentrations. A dose-dependent decrease in ovalbumin uptake was observed in G.duodenalis-stimulated MoDC. In addition, stimulated MoDC induced proliferation of CD3(-) , γδ-T-cells and TCRαβ(+) CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells. Increased transcription of TGF-β was shown in CD4(+) T cells, and increased TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-10 and IL-4 were seen in γδ-T-cells. We found no evidence that G.duodenalis has a regulatory or inhibitory effect on bovine MoDC. MoDC stimulated with G.duodenalis are functionally active and able to induce proliferation of T cells that produce both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.