Endocrine immune interactions during chronic Toxocariasis caused by Toxocara canis in a murine model: New insights into the pathophysiology of an old infection

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2018-03, Vol.252, p.173-179
• Main Authors: Del Río-Araiza, Víctor Hugo, Nava-Castro, Karen Elizabeth, Alba-Hurtado, Fernando, Quintanar-Stephano, Andrés, Muñoz-Guzmán, Marco Antonio, CUenca-Micò, Olga, Morales-Montor, Jorge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chronic infection; Hypophysectomy; Immune response; Immunopathology; Toxocara canis; Toxocariasis
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.01.026

[Display omitted] •We evaluated the effect of lack of pituitary hormones on the immune response against Toxocara canis during a chronic infection.•There is a decrease in the number of larvae recovered from lungs and brain in the hypophysectomized animals.•The lack of hypophyseal hormones induced no production of specific antibodies against the parasite.•The lack of pituitary hormones alters the immune response to the helminth parasite Toxocara canis.•These findings have strong implications on pathophysiology of Toxocara canis toxocariosis. Toxocara canis is the helminth causing Toxocariasis, a parasitic disease with medical and veterinary implications. Their final host are members of the family Canidae and as paratenic hosts, most of the mammals are sensitive (man, rat, mouse, among others). It has been reported that a pituitary hormone, prolactin, it is responsible for reactivation and migration of larvae to the uterus and mammary gland during the last third of gestation in bitches. In addition, this hormone has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of the immune response. Thus, the aim of this study, was to evaluate the effect of hypophysectomy in the rat model of Toxocariasis, on the immune response against this parasite during a chronic infection, for which parasite loads were analyzed in different organs (lung and brain). Furthermore, serum specific antibody titers, and percentages of different cells of the immune system were also determined. The results showed a decrease in the number of larvae recovered from lung and brain in the hypophysectomized animals. In this same group of animals, there was no production of specific antibodies against the parasite. As for the percentages of the cells of the immune system, there are differences in some subpopulations due to surgery and others due to infection. Our results demonstrated that the lack of pituitary hormones alters parasite loads and the immune response to the helminth parasite Toxocara canis.