title: Modulation of innate immune response by the vagus nerve in experimental hepatic amebiasis in rats.
abstract: The parasympathetic nervous system has a crucial role in immunomodulation of the vagus nerve, its structure provides a pathogen detection system, and a negative feedback to the immune system after the pathogenic agent has been eliminated. Amebiasis is a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, considered the third leading cause of death in the world. The rats are used as a natural resistance model to amoebic liver infection. The aim of this study is to analyze the interaction of Entamoeba histolytica with neutrophils, macrophages, and NK cells in livers of intact and vagotomized rats. Six groups were studied (n = 4): Intact (I), Intact + amoeba (IA), Sham (S), Sham + amoeba (SA), Vagotomized (V) and Vagotomized + amoeba (VA). Animals were sacrificed at 8 h post-inoculation of E. histolytica. Then, livers were obtained and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Tissue liver slides were stained with H-E, PAS and Masson. The best development time for E. histolytica infection was at 8 h. Amoeba was identified with a monoclonal anti-220 kDa E. histolytica lectin. Neutrophils (N) were identified with rabbit anti-human neutrophil myeloperoxidase, macrophages (Mɸ) with anti-CD68 antibody and NK cells (NK) with anti-NK. Stomachs weight and liver glycogen were higher in V. Collagen increased in VA, whereas vascular and neutrophilic areas were decreased. There were fewer N, Mɸ, NK around the amoeba in the following order IA > SA > VA (p < 0.05 between IA and VA). In conclusion, these results suggest that the absence of parasympathetic innervation affects the participation of neutrophils, macrophages and NK cells in the innate immune response, apparently by parasympathetic inhibition on the cellular functions and probably for participation in sympathetic activity.
authors.affiliation: Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mercedes D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Martínez-Jaimes
authors.affiliation: Área de Neurociencias, Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Mexico. Electronic address: mglo@xanum.uam.mx.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Lorenzana
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Morfología, Departamento de Morfología, Centro de ciencias básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico.
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Ortega
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quintanar-Stephano
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Morfología, Departamento de Morfología, Centro de ciencias básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico.
authors.forename: Manuel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ávila-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación en Gerontología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: García-Agueda
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Morfología, Departamento de Morfología, Centro de ciencias básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ventura-Juárez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014628:Vagotomy; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: Entamoeba histolytica; Inflammation; Macrophages; Neutrophil; Vagotomy