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Infection and Immunity, July 2001, p. 4554-4560, Vol. 69, No. 7
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.7.4554-4560.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Brain Granulomas in Neurocysticercosis Patients Are Associated with a Th1 and Th2 Profile

Blanca I. Restrepo,1 Jorge I. Alvarez,1,2 Jorge A. Castaño,3 Luis F. Arias,3 Margarita Restrepo,3 Judith Trujillo,4 Carlos H. Colegial,5 and Judy M. Teale2,*

Molecular Parasitology Group, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas,1 Department of Pathology, Universidad de Antioquia,3 and Pathology Laboratory, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana,4 Medellín, and Department of Pathology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá,5 Colombia, and Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas2

Received 30 January 2001/Returned for modification 8 March 2001/Accepted 19 April 2001

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Taenia solium metacestodes. Despite the well-documented importance of the granulomatous response in the pathogenesis of this infection, there is limited information about the types of cells and cytokines involved. In fact, there has been limited characterization of human brain granulomas with any infectious agent. In the present study a detailed histological and immunohistochemical analysis of the immune response was performed on eight craniotomy specimens where a granuloma surrounded each T. solium metacestode. The results indicated that in all the specimens there was a dying parasite surrounded by a mature granuloma with associated fibrosis, angiogenesis, and an inflammatory infiltrate. The most abundant cell types were plasma cells, B and T lymphocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. Th1 cytokines were prevalent and included gamma interferon, interleukin-18 (IL-18), and the immunosuppressive, fibrosis-promoting cytokine transforming growth factor beta . The Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-13, and IL-10 were also present. These observations indicate that a chronic immune response is elicited in the CNS environment with multiple cell types that together secrete inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, both collagen type I and type III deposits were evident and could contribute to irreversible nervous tissue damage in NCC patients.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229. Phone: (210) 567-3959. Fax: (210) 567-6612. E-mail: teale{at}uthscsa.edu.

Infection and Immunity, July 2001, p. 4554-4560, Vol. 69, No. 7
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.7.4554-4560.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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