title: Eosinophil cationic protein damages protoscoleces in vitro and is present in the hydatid cyst.
abstract: Eosinophils are locally recruited during the establishment and chronic phases of cystic hydatidosis. This study provides evidence that eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), one of the major components of eosinophil granules, can damage Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces (PSC). The toxicity of ECP was investigated in vitro by following parasite viability in the presence of this protein. ECP was found to damage PSC at micromolar concentrations; the effect was blocked by specific antibodies and heparin, and was more severe than the one caused by similar concentrations of RNase A, suggesting that the cationic nature of ECP, and not its ribonuclease activity, is involved in toxicity. This observation may highlight the capacity of eosinophils to control secondary hydatidosis, derived from PSC leakage from a primary cyst. To further assess the relevance of the previous result during infection, the presence of eosinophil proteins was investigated in human hydatid cysts. ECP was found to be strongly associated with the laminated layer of the cyst wall, and present at micromolar concentrations in the hydatid fluid. Overall, these results demonstrate that eosinophils degranulate in vivo at the host-parasite interface, and that the released ECP reaches concentrations that could be harmful for the parasite.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias/Facultad de Química. Instituto de Higiene, Avda A. Navarro 3051, p2, Montevideo CP.11600, Uruguay.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Discipio
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000276:immunology*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000187:drug effects*; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004802:Eosinophilia; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D007249:Inflammation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein; C479220:RNASE3 protein, human