title: Changes to plasminogen activators and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in dogs with toxocarosis.
abstract: The relationship between proteolytic enzymes and hematological response to infection was studied in five 1-month-old dogs inoculated experimentally with 2000 eggs of Toxocara canis. Moderate leukocytosis and marked eosinophilia occurred 14 days post-infection with T. canis. Plasminogen activators (PAs) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in serum was significantly different in dogs infected with T. canis, compared with controls. Urokinase-type PA (uPA) activity was positively correlated with eosinophilia, and tissue-type PA (tPA) and MMP-9 activity was negatively correlated with eosinophilia. However, there was no correlation between inflammation and MMP-2. The use of uPA, tPA or MMP-9 proteolytic enzymes as laboratory reference markers for toxocarosis requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Chung Shan Medical University, 110 Section 1, Chien-Kuo North Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan. shih@csmu.edu.tw
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9