J Vet Sci.  2004 Sep;5(3):221-226.

Mucosal mast cell-derived chondroitin sulphate levels in and worm expulsion from FcRgamma-knockout mice following oral challenge with Strongyloides venezuelensis

• Onah DN
• Nawa Y

Abstract

Mucosal mast cell-derived chondroitin sulphates (sulphated proteoglycans) were assayed in gut washings and homogenate of FcRgamma-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice challenged with Strongyloides venezuelensis in order to assess their possible role in secondary immunity against enteric nematodes. Groups of immune KO and WT mice were challenged by oral gavage with 300 infective larvae (L3). Establishment of infection was assessed by daily faecal analysis to determine the number of eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and by adult worm recovery on days 5 and 13 post challenge. Mucosal mast cell (MMC) counts were done on days 5 and 13 post challenge while MMC-derived chondroitin sulphates in gut washings (days 1 and 5) and homogenate (day 8) were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that patent infection occurred in challenged KO but not WT mice despite significantly higher mastocytosis in jejunal sections of KO than WT mice (p<0.001). Similarly but against prediction, significantly higher concentration of MMC-derived chondroitin sulphates was observed in gut homogenate of KO than WT mice (p<0.05). In contrast, significantly higher concentration of chondroitin sulphates was observed in gut washings of WT than KO mice (p<0.05). These results suggest that MMC in KO mice failed to release sufficient amount of sulphated proteoglycans into the gut lumen as did the WT mice, which may have been part of the hostile environment that prevented the establishment in and eventual expulsion of adult S. venezuelensis from the gut of WT mice following challenge.

Keyword

Strongyloides venezuelensis; mast cells; mucosal immunity; chondroitin sulphates; gut washings; mice

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cell Count/veterinary
Chondroitin Sulfates/*immunology/metabolism
Chymases
Feces/parasitology
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/immunology/*veterinary
Intestinal Mucosa/cytology/immunology/parasitology
Jejunum/cytology/immunology/parasitology
Male
Mast Cells/immunology/metabolism/*parasitology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Parasite Egg Count/veterinary
Receptors, IgG/*immunology
Serine Endopeptidases/blood/immunology
Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
Strongyloides/*immunology
Strongyloidiasis/immunology/parasitology/*veterinary