The effects of Clonorchis sinensis, Hymenolepis nana and Toxocara canis infection on fat absorption in the intestine were studied. For this purpose, I131-Triolein was given to the animals which were infected by those parasites, and amounts of the excretion in the feces were counted and following results were obtained. In the Clonorchis sinensis infected group, the excretion of Triolein was increased to 4. 10~4.49% compared with that of the control group. In the Hymenolepis nana infected group, the excretion of Triolein was increased to 4~5% compared with that of control group. In the Toxocara canis infected group, the excretion was about twice as much as that of the control group. It is concluded that parasite infection in digestive system diminishes fat absorption in gastrointestinal tract of the host.
Animals ; Fats/*metabolism ; Feces/analysis ; *Intestinal Absorption ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*metabolism ; Iodine Radioisotopes/diagnostic use ; Rats ; Triolein/diagnostic use

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Trichinella spiralis (T.spiralis) infection on the expression and distribution of colonic epithelial E-cadherin in mice and its mechanism.

METHODSBALB/c mice and STAT6-/- mice were infected with T.spiralis, and mice without infection were used as control. Seven days later, the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was infused by rectal enema. Serum HRP was detected in the subsequent 0, 60 and 120 minutes. Then the mice were sacrificed and colon was taken out. The distribution of E-cadherin in colon was detected by immunofluorescence staining, and the expression of E-cadherin was detected by Western blot. The expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in mesenteric lymph nodes was detected by ELISA.

RESULTSSerum HRP level in infected BALB/c mice was significantly higher than that in control mice (P<0.05), while it was not significantly different between infected STAT6-/- mice and controls (P>0.05). In infected BALB/c mice, E-cadherin located in cytoplasm of colonic epithelial cells, while in controls, it located in cellular membrane. E-cadherin expression down-regulated significantly in infected BALB/c mice as compared to controls. E-cadherin expression and distribution did not change obviously in infected STAT6-/- and control mice. IL-4 level in mesenteric lymph nodes of infected BALB/c mice [(193.0±12.5) μg/L] was significantly higher as compared to control BALB/c and infected STAT6-/- mice [(21.0±2.3) μg/L and (15.0±3.1) μg/L, all P<0.05].

CONCLUSIONT.spiralis infection can increase colonic epithelial permeability of mice, which may be associated with induction of Th2 cytokine secretion.

Animals ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Colon ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Knockout ; Trichinella spiralis ; Trichinellosis ; metabolism

Mucosal mast cell-derived chondroitin sulphates (sulphated proteoglycans) were assayed in gut washings and homogenate of FcRgamma-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice challenged with Strongyloides venezuelensis in order to assess their possible role in secondary immunity against enteric nematodes. Groups of immune KO and WT mice were challenged by oral gavage with 300 infective larvae (L3). Establishment of infection was assessed by daily faecal analysis to determine the number of eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and by adult worm recovery on days 5 and 13 post challenge. Mucosal mast cell (MMC) counts were done on days 5 and 13 post challenge while MMC-derived chondroitin sulphates in gut washings (days 1 and 5) and homogenate (day 8) were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that patent infection occurred in challenged KO but not WT mice despite significantly higher mastocytosis in jejunal sections of KO than WT mice (p<0.001). Similarly but against prediction, significantly higher concentration of MMC-derived chondroitin sulphates was observed in gut homogenate of KO than WT mice (p<0.05). In contrast, significantly higher concentration of chondroitin sulphates was observed in gut washings of WT than KO mice (p<0.05). These results suggest that MMC in KO mice failed to release sufficient amount of sulphated proteoglycans into the gut lumen as did the WT mice, which may have been part of the hostile environment that prevented the establishment in and eventual expulsion of adult S. venezuelensis from the gut of WT mice following challenge.
Animals ; Cell Count/veterinary ; Chondroitin Sulfates/*immunology/metabolism ; Chymases ; Feces/parasitology ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/immunology/*veterinary ; Intestinal Mucosa/cytology/immunology/parasitology ; Jejunum/cytology/immunology/parasitology ; Male ; Mast Cells/immunology/metabolism/*parasitology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Parasite Egg Count/veterinary ; Receptors, IgG/*immunology ; Serine Endopeptidases/blood/immunology ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Strongyloides/*immunology ; Strongyloidiasis/immunology/parasitology/*veterinary

The effects of anti-allergic drugs on intestinal mastocytosis and the expulsion of Neodiplostomum seoulense were observed in Sprague-Dawley rats, after oral infection with 500 metacercariae. The drugs used were hydroxyzine (a histamine receptor H1 blocker), cimetidine (a H2 blocker), cyclosporin-A (a helper T-cell suppressant), and prednisolone (a T- and B-cell suppressant). Infected, but untreated controls, and uninfected controls, were prepared. Worm recovery rate and intestinal mastocytosis were measured on weeks 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection. Compared with the infected controls, worm expulsion was significantly (P < 0.05) delayed in hydroxyzine- and cimetidine-treated rats, despite mastocytosis being equally marked in the duodenum of all three groups. In the cyclosporin-A- and prednisolone-treated groups, mastocytosis was suppressed, but worm expulsion was only slightly delayed, without statistical significance. Our results suggest that binding of histamine to its receptors on intestinal smooth muscles is more important in terms of the expulsion of N. seoulense from rats than the levels of histamine alone, or mastocytosis.
Animals ; Cimetidine/pharmacology ; Cyclosporine/pharmacology ; Histamine H1 Antagonists/*pharmacology ; Histamine H2 Antagonists/*pharmacology ; Hydroxyzine/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Immunosuppressive Agents/*pharmacology ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*drug therapy ; Mastocytosis/*drug therapy/parasitology ; Prednisolone/*pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Trematoda/*growth & development/metabolism ; Trematode Infections/*drug therapy