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Bulletin No. 17 - Winter 2003
Parasitology- No Category
LASSEN B, ROEPSTORFF A, STEENHARD NR, AASTED B, MURRELL KD.
A study of IL-4, IL-8, INF-γ and TNF-α in pigs infected with Ascaris suum.
Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 10-14, 2003, page 134
Nematodes, such as Ascaris suum are thought to stimulate the immune response of their host towards a Th2 polarisation. The objective the present studies was to examine a single infection with A. suum by measuring the cytokine development over a period of 8 weeks. Two levels of 1000 and 5000 single A. suum eggs doses were given to 20-25 kg pigs (n1000=11 and n5000=10). Additionally, 14 pigs were kept as controls (n1000=8, n5000=6). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated by Ficoll 0, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 28, 35, 42, 49, 54 and 56 days p.i. Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) cells draining the jejunum were isolated 12 and 20 days p.i. All cells were stained for IL-4, IL-8, IFN-γ and TNF-α and examined using intercellular staining and flow cytometry. MLN cells found in infected pigs had reduced levels of IFN-γ stained lymphocytes on day 12 p.i., which support the existing theory of a Th1 down regulation in A. suum infected pigs. Increased levels in PBMC's of infected pgis were significant 17 days p.i., in both IL-4 stained cells and IFN-γ stained cells from the monocytes gated area. Increased systemic levels of IFN-γ(Th1) and IL-4 (Th2) 17 days p.i. indicate a mixed cytokine response during the expulsion phase. This day may be an interesting date for future immunological studies regarding A. suum infections.
