Abstract
SummaryMany parasitic helminth infections induce Th2-type immune responses and engage the regulatory network. In this study, we specifically investigated the influence of antigens derived from different life stages of the helminth Trichinella spiralis on the polarization of naive CD4+ T cells by dendritic cells. Results obtained from C57BL/6 mice showed that T. spiralis derived antigens have the capacity to induce bone marrow-derived dendritic cells to acquire an incompletely mature phenotype that promotes a significant proliferation of naive CD4+ T cells and a mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine profile with the predominance of Th2 cytokines. Increased production of IL-4, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-13 accompanied increased IFN-γ. Furthermore, dendritic cells pulsed with T. spiralis antigens did not induce an increase in the population of Foxp3+ T regulatory cells. Although other helminth antigens have demonstrated the capacity to induce de novo generation of Foxp3+ T regulatory cells, here our in vitro studies provide no evidence that T. spiralis antigens have this capacity.
Highlights
Infection with helminth parasites can alter the host’s immune response [1,2]
In order to assess whether pulsing Bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) with different T. spiralis antigens alters maturation, nonstimulated BMDCs and BMDCs stimulated with LPS or T. spiralis antigens were analysed for the expression of surface markers and secretion of cytokines
In addition to determining the expression of surface markers on BMDCs, we measured the cytokines produced by these cells in response to different T. spiralis antigens, in comparison with medium or LPS-treated BMDCs
Summary
Infection with helminth parasites can alter the host’s immune response [1,2]. Among the proposed mechanisms by which helminths modulate the immune system, one is based upon their ability to alter the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) [15]. A number of in vitro studies have shown that some helminth products, like the excretory-secretory (ES) antigens derived from Nippostrongylus brasiliensis [5], the soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma mansoni [17] and the ES-62 glycoprotein of Acanthocheilonema vitae [18], can induce Th2 immune responses via DCs. On the other hand, helminth antigens like the ES and adult products of Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri do not promote a Th2 response but rather induce Treg cells under similar conditions [11,15]
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