title: Gastrointestinal nematode infection interferes with experimental allergic airway inflammation but not atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some helminth infections are negatively associated with the prevalence of allergic disorders, arguing for a modulation of allergic reactions by the parasites, depending on the worm species, intensity and phase of infection and the type of disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of a chronic infection with the gastrointestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus, in a murine model of allergic airway disease and of atopic dermatitis (AD), respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were infected with H. polygyrus and systemically sensitized with the model allergen ovalbumin. Subsequently, the animals were challenged with the allergen either via the airways for induction of airway disease, or via skin patches for induction of dermatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice concomitantly infected with H. polygyrus showed diminished eosinophil and lymphocyte recruitment into the lungs and decreased allergen-specific IgE levels when compared with sensitized and airway challenged controls. In addition, animals showed a trend towards reduced airway hyper-reactivity. In contrast, no significant differences in the severity of eczematous skin lesions were observed between infected and control animals in the AD model. Although H. polygyrus infection reduced CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell infiltration into the skin and production of allergen-specific IgE, mast cell recruitment was significantly increased in worm-infected mice in the dermatitis model. The worm infection was associated with significantly elevated numbers of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in peribronchial lymph nodes in H. polygyrus-infected sensitized and airway challenged mice. In contrast, Treg cells were basically absent in eczematous skin and their number was not increased in skin-draining lymph nodes of mice with experimental dermatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infection with the gastrointestinal nematode used in our study leads to significant inhibition of mucosa-associated but not cutaneous allergic reactions, pointing to a site specificity of the immunomodulation exerted by helminths. This finding might be an important aspect for future considerations of helminths for treatment of allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany. susanne.hartmann@hu-berlin.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schnoeller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dahten
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avagyan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rausch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lendner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bocian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loddenkemper
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucius
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Worm
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamelmann
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000628:therapy; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000628:therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009351:Nematospiroides dubius / Q000276:immunology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E