title: Elevated serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII in murine schistosomiasis correlate with schistosome oviposition and circumoval granuloma formation.
abstract: Levels of circulating tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and its soluble receptors are elevated in chronic human schistosomiasis. However, the kinetics of TNF-alpha production and release of its soluble receptors have not been studied in humans or animals. Here we report on increased levels of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors in murine schistosomiasis, beginning with schistosome oviposition and circumoval granuloma formation. TNF-alpha, sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII were measured in sera of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni each week for 10 weeks postinfection. TNF-alpha levels increased gradually in all mice during the first 3 weeks. From 6th week postinfection, TNF-alpha levels in infected mice increased steadily, whereas those of uninfected mice remained essentially unchanged. sTNF-RI levels fluctuated in all mice during the first 3 weeks, and increased in infected mice during the following 5 weeks. sTNF-RII levels were similar in all mice for the first 4 weeks but increased in infected mice throughout the remainder of the experimental period. These data may be helpful in understanding pathogenesis in schistosomiasis as TNF-alpha plays a crucial role in circumoval granuloma formation and adversely affects schistosome fecundity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn 11203, USA. haseeb@earthlink.net
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Haseeb
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Shirazian
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Preis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha