Korean J Parasitol.  2007 Jun;45(2):95-102. 10.3347/kjp.2007.45.2.95.

Changes of cytokine mRNA expression and IgG responses in rats infected with Capillaria hepatica

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Parasitology and the Institute of Travel Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. chungms@korea.ac.kr

Abstract

The mRNA expression of several cytokines was evaluated in splenocytes and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells of rats infected with Capillaria hepatica by reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR until week 12 after infection. IgG1 and IgG2a, which are associated with Th1 and Th2 response, respectively, were also assessed by ELISA. The results indicated that the majority of cytokines, including the Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) were expressed at maximal levels during the early stage of infection (after week 1-2), and the ELISA data also evidenced a similar pattern of changes in IgG1 and IgG2a. Th1 and Th2 cytokines responded in a similar fashion in this rat model. The expression of cytokines in splenocytes was significantly higher than that in MLN cells, thereby indicating that cytokine production is controlled more by spleen than by MLN. In addition, the observation that IFN-gamma expression increased unexpectedly at the time of maximal egg production (6 weeks after infection) indicated that IFN-gamma is a cytokine reacting against egg production. However, increased IL-5 expression occurring in tandem with worm activity indicated that the activity of C. hepatica might be controlled by IL-5 expression.

Keyword

Capillaria hepatica; RT-PCR; cytokine; rat; mRNA; IgG1; IgG2a

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies, Helminth/*blood
Capillaria/*immunology
Cytokines/*biosynthesis/genetics
Disease Models, Animal
Enoplida Infections/*immunology
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
*Gene Expression Regulation
Immunoglobulin G/*blood
Lymph Nodes/immunology
Lymphocytes/immunology
RNA, Messenger/analysis/genetics
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Spleen/cytology/immunology
Th1 Cells/immunology
Th2 Cells/immunology
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