Eosinophilia and intracranial worm recovery in interleukin-5 transgenic and interleukin-5 receptor alpha chain-knockout mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
We infected interleukin-5 (IL-5)-transgenic (IL-5-Tg) and IL-5 receptor alpha knockout (IL-5R alpha -/-) mice with Angiostrongylus cantonensis to determine the possible roles of IL-5 and eosinophils in A. cantonensis infection in mice. IL-5-Tg mice demonstrated significantly higher eosinophilia in bone marrow, blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), lower intracranial worm recovery and smaller female worms than naive C3H/HeN mice. Both IL-5-Tg and C3H/HeN mice evoked antigen-specific serum and CSF IgA antibody responses as early as days 5 and 7 postinfection, respectively. Prominent eosinophil infiltration was noted around intracranial worms in the subarachnoid spaces of the mouse brains; eosinophils adhering to the worm surface were degranulated. In contrast, IL-5R alpha -/- mice yielded a higher worm recovery than wild-type or heterozygous mice at day 20 postinfection and failed to provoke CSF eosinophilia. These findings indicate that A. cantonensis infection in the mouse causes IL-5 production and subsequent CSF eosinophilia, the latter probably being involved in the killing of intracranial worms.
Sugaya
H
H
Department of Parasitology, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Aoki
M
M
Yoshida
T
T
Takatsu
K
K
Yoshimura
K
K
D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology
D015848:Interleukin-5; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053649:Receptors, Interleukin-5