title: The characteristics of the expression of heat shock proteins and COX-2 in the liver of hamsters infected with Clonorchis sinensis, and the change of endocrine hormones and cytokines.
abstract: The liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis (Digenea) is a high-risk parasite that causes serious diseases such as cirrhosis, carcinogenic liver damage and clonorchiasis in East Asia. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between stress/endocrine hormones and inflammation induced by infection as well as the expression of heat shock proteins (hsp-27, hsp-90), cox-2 and cytokines in the livers of hamsters infected with C. sinensis. The average body weight of infected hamsters decreased up to 25% compared with that of the control group, and bile duct hyperplasia with inflammation, liver fibrosis and hepatic necrosis were observed in C. sinensis-infected livers. The expression of hsp-27, hsp-90, and cox-2 was significantly increased in the livers of C. sinensis-infected hamsters compared with the control group. Moreover, the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-2, TGF-beta2 and IFN-alpha1) were markedly increased in the livers of the infected group compared with those of the control group. Consistently, plasma IL-3 and IL-6 levels gradually increased during the infection period, and the concentration levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in C. sinensis-infected hamsters increased over 25%, compared with those of the uninfected normal group. These results demonstrate that C. sinensis infection may increase the expression of hsp27, hsp90 and cox-2 as well as it may cause periductal fibrosis, chronic inflammation and hepatic necrosis in the liver. Furthermore, the results indicate that C. sinensis infection induces not only stress-induced hormone imbalance but also the sustained secretion of inflammatory cytokines through chronic stress/stimuli.
authors: Department of Medical Zoology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, 26 Kyunghee-daero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. whchoi@khu.ac.kr
authors: WonHyung
authors: W
authors: Choi
authors: JongPhil
authors: J
authors: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003003:Clonorchiasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D003004:Clonorchis sinensis; D006224:Cricetinae; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006728:Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006728:Hormones; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2