title: Toxocara canis infection induces antigen-specific IL-10 and IFNgamma production in pregnant dogs and their puppies.
abstract: Toxocara canis (T. canis) is originally a parasite of canine bitches and their pups. The pathogenicity of T. canis infection is enhanced during pregnancy and puppyhood. The aim of this study was to investigate if modification of IFNgamma and IL-10 secretion occurs during infection in pregnant dogs and puppies. Analysis of cytokines secreted could let us hypothesize a role for IL-10 and/or IFNgamma in T. canis infection. We tested T. canis-specific production of IFNgamma and IL-10 by lymphocytes of pregnant dogs and their puppies after in vitro re-exposure to purified excretory/secretory antigen (ESAg) from T. canis. Blood mononuclear cells (BMC) isolated from pregnant dogs and their puppies were cultured in the presence of ESAg. Cultures' supernatants were tested for cytokine levels by ELISA. Results obtained showed that IL-10 concentrations increased during pregnancy in infected animals and in the meantime IFNgamma production decreased. In puppyhood, we observed that, IL-10 concentration decreased with the age of puppies mainly in infected animals while IFNgamma increased. In conclusion, our data suggests that BMC of infected dogs have a particular modification of IL-10 and IFNgamma synthesis. These data could be the basis to design immunotherapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via G. Marinuzzi 3, 90134 Palermo, Italy. torina@pa.izs.it
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torina
authors.forename: Santo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caracappa
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barera
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dieli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sireci
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Genchi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deplazes
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salerno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000276:immunology; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma