Trichinella spiralis: vascular endothelial growth factor is up-regulated within the nurse cell during the early phase of its formation

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology 1998-04, Vol.84 (2), p.209-214
• Main Authors: Capo, V.A. (Instituto Pedro Kouri, Havana, Cuba.), Despommier, D.D, Polvere, R.I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal helminthic diseases; Animals; ARN MENSAJERO; ARN MESSAGER; Biochemistry-Physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell nucleus; CELLS; CELLULE; CELULAS; CITOQUINAS; CYTOKINE; CYTOKINES; Cytoplasm; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Growth Factors - analysis; Endothelial Growth Factors - genetics; Endothelial Growth Factors - metabolism; EXPRESION GENICA; EXPRESSION DES GENES; FACTEUR DE CROISSANCE; FACTORES DE CRECIMIENTO; GENE EXPRESSION; GROWTH FACTORS; Helminthic diseases; HOST PARASITE RELATIONS; Host-Parasite Interactions; Hypoxia; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Infections; Infectious diseases; Larva - physiology; LARVAE; LARVAS; LARVE; Lymphokines - analysis; Lymphokines - genetics; Lymphokines - metabolism; Medical sciences; MESSENGER RNA; MICE; MUSCLE; MUSCLE LARVAE; Muscle, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - parasitology; MUSCLES; MUSCULOS; MYOCYTES; NEMATODA; NURES CELLS; Nurses; PARASITE; PARASITES; Parasitic diseases; PARASITISM; PARASITISME; PARASITISMO; Parasitology; PARASITOS; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RATON; REGULATION; RELACIONES HUESPED PARASITO; RELATION HOTE PARASITE; RNA, Messenger - analysis; SKELETAL MUSCLE; SOURIS; TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS; Trichinella spiralis - physiology; UP-REGULATION; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.2307/3284472

The L1 larval stage of Trichinella spiralis induces modification in a portion of striated skeletal muscle cell resulting in the formation of the nurse cell. This specialized host cell is completely encased in a capsule composed mainly of collagen type IV and type VI, which, in turn, is surrounded by a unique rete of vessels whose formation begins on around day 12 after intracellular infection. We investigated the possibility that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may be up-regulated during nurse cell formation by employing immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization on synchronously infected mouse muscle tissue. Both VEGF mRNA and VEGF peptide were detected in the developing nurse cell cytoplasm from day 7 up to 16 mo after infection. In addition, VEGF was also detected in cells in the area immediately surrounding the nurse cell on days 15 and 17. On the basis of these results, we propose that hypoxia is induced by T. spiralis within the developing nurse cell some time prior to the up-regulation of VEGF, perhaps as early as day 7. We further propose, on the basis of the continued presence of VEGF in nurse cell cytoplasm, that a constant state of hypoxia cell is maintained.