<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) are recognized for their deleterious effect on the environment and immunity where subsequently compromised immune response affects the susceptibility to the potential parasitic infections. This study examined the host cytokine response after heavy metal intoxication (Pb, Cd, and Hg) and subsequent <italic>Ascaris suum</italic> infection in BALB/c mice. Pb modulated murine immune response towards the Th2 type of response (delineated by IL-5 and IL-10 cytokine production) what was also dominant for the outcome of <italic>A. suum</italic> infection. Chronic intoxication with Pb caused a more intensive development of the parasite infection. Cd stimulated the Th1 immune response what was associated with increase in IFN-γ production and reduction of larvae present in the liver of intoxicated mice. The larval burden was also low in mice intoxicated with Hg. This was probably not related to the biased Th1/Th2 type of immune response, but rather to the bad host conditions caused by mercury toxicity and high level of pro-cachectic cytokine TNF-α.</p></abstract>

Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) are recognized for their deleterious effect on the environment and immunity where subsequently compromised immune response affects the susceptibility to the potential parasitic infections. This study examined the host cytokine response after heavy metal intoxication (Pb, Cd, and Hg) and subsequent Ascaris suum infection in BALB/c mice. Pb modulated murine immune response towards the Th2 type of response (delineated by IL-5 and IL-10 cytokine production) what was also dominant for the outcome of A. suum infection. Chronic intoxication with Pb caused a more intensive development of the parasite infection. Cd stimulated the Th1 immune response what was associated with increase in IFN-γ production and reduction of larvae present in the liver of intoxicated mice. The larval burden was also low in mice intoxicated with Hg. This was probably not related to the biased Th1/Th2 type of immune response, but rather to the bad host conditions caused by mercury toxicity and high level of pro-cachectic cytokine TNF-α.

Heavy metal intoxication compromises the host cytokine response in <italic>Ascaris Suum</italic> model infection

Institute of Parasitology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic

Eastern Slovak Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, Košice, Slovak Republic

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Heavy metal intoxication compromises the host cytokine response in  model infection

Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) are recognized for their deleterious effect on the environment and immunity where subsequently compromised immune...

Heavy metal intoxication compromises the host cytokine response in Ascaris Suum model infection

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 10, 2016

Page range: 14 - 23

Received: Oct 13, 2015

Accepted: Nov 10, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0063

Keywords
heavy metals, cytokines, Th1/Th2 immune response, mice

© 2016 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Heavy metal intoxication compromises the host cytokine response in Ascaris Suum model infection

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 10, 2016

Page range: 14 - 23

Received: Oct 13, 2015

Accepted: Nov 10, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0063

Keywordsheavy metals, cytokines, Th1/Th2 immune response, mice

© 2016 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
heavy metals, cytokines, Th1/Th2 immune response, mice