Rapid and specific alterations of goblet cell mucin in rat airway and small intestine associated with resistance against Nippostrongylus brasiliensis reinfection

• Published in: Experimental parasitology 2012-03, Vol.130 (3), p.209-217
• Main Authors: Tsubokawa, Daigo, Goso, Yukinobu, Nakamura, Takeshi, Maruyama, Hiroko, Yatabe, Fumi, Kurihara, Makoto, Ichikawa, Takafumi, Ishihara, Kazuhiko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; anthelmintics; Antiparasitic Agents - administration & dosage; defense mechanisms; Goblet cell mucin; Goblet Cells - metabolism; Histocytochemistry; hyperplasia; immunization; Ivermectin - administration & dosage; jejunum; Jejunum - metabolism; Larva - immunology; larvae; Lung - metabolism; Male; mucins; Mucins - metabolism; Mucosa; mucus; Nematode; Nippostrongylus - immunology; Nippostrongylus brasiliensis; parasitology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recurrence; Reinfection; Strongylida Infections - drug therapy; Strongylida Infections - immunology
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2012.01.002

[Display omitted] ► We analyzed the relationship between host mucin changes and worm expulsion after Nippostrongylus brasiliensis reinfection. ► The airway and intestinal mucins increases independently by immunization in the respective sites. ► Challenge larvae are rejected in the lung stage along with Muc5AC mucin hyperproduction. ► Challenge larvae are expelled in the intestinal stage along with increase of specific sialomucins. The intestinal parasitic nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis is expelled rapidly from the rat in reinfection challenge compared with that of the primary infection owing to the host defense mechanisms raised against the pre-intestinal- and intestinal-stage larvae. We examined the relationship between the mucin alterations in airway and jejunal mucosae and the worm expulsion after third-stage larva reinfection. When rats had been inoculated with fourth-stage larvae and immunized with only the intestinal-stage worms for more than 8days, the challenge larvae were expelled during the intestinal stage along with a rapid increase of the specific sialomucin in jejunal mucosa, without any effect on the bronchial mucus. When rats had been infected with third-stage larvae and immunized with only the pre-intestinal stage larvae by killing with antihelminthic, the challenge larvae were rejected during the pre-intestinal stage along with marked goblet cell hyperplasia and Muc5AC mucin hyperproduction on the bronchial mucosa, but not as a result of jejunal mucin alteration. Taking these finding together, immunization with pre-intestinal- and intestinal-stage worms independently increases the airway and intestinal goblet cell mucins, respectively, and in both cases, the mucin alterations may contribute to rapid worm expulsion upon reinfection.