Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Infection and Immunity, July 2001, p. 4417-4423, Vol. 69, No. 7
Intestinal Disease Research Programme,
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,1
and Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, Michigan2
Received 27 October 2000/Returned for modification 4 January
2001/Accepted 23 April 2001
The rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta was used to
test the hypothesis that helminth infection could modulate murine
colitis. Mice were infected with five H. diminuta
cysticercoids, and colitis was evoked via free access to
4% (wt/vol) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-containing drinking water for
5 days. BALB/c mice were either infected with H.
diminuta and 7 days later exposed to DSS (prophylactic strategy) or started on DSS and infected with H.
diminuta 48 h later (treatment strategy). Naive and
H. diminuta-only-infected mice served as
controls. On autopsy, colonic segments were processed for histological
examination and myeloperoxidase (MPO) measurement or mounted in Ussing
chambers for assessment of epithelial ion transport. Cytokines (gamma
interferon [IFN-
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.7.4417-4423.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Tapeworm Infection Reduces Epithelial Ion Transport Abnormalities
in Murine Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis
], interleukin 12 [IL-12], and IL-10) were
measured in serum and colonic tissue homogenates. DSS
treatment resulted in reduced ion responses (indicated by short-circuit
current [Isc]) to electrical nerve stimulation, the cholinergic
agonist carbachol, and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin
compared to controls. H. diminuta infection, either prophylactic or therapeutic, caused a significant
(P < 0.05) amelioration of these DSS-induced
irregularities in stimulated ion transport. In contrast, the
histopathology (i.e., mixed immune cell infiltrate, edema, and
ulcerative damage) and elevated MPO levels that accompany DSS
colitis were unaffected by concomitant H.
diminuta infection. Similarly, there were no significant
differences in levels of IFN-
, IL-12, or IL-10 in serum or tissue
from any of the treatment groups at the time of autopsy. We suggest
that abolishment of colitis-induced epithelial ion transport
abnormalities by H. diminuta infection provides
proof-of-principle data and speculate that helminth therapy may provide
relief of disease symptoms in colitis.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Intestinal
Disease Research Programme, McMaster University, HSC-3N5C, 1200 Main
St. West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 3Z5. Phone: (905) 525-9140, ext. 22588. Fax: (905) 522-3454. E-mail:
mckayd{at}fhs.mcmaster.ca.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology. For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»