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Taenia crassiceps – Plasmodium yoelii co-infection the outcome depends on the moment of the infection

VICTOR H. SALAZAR-CASTAÑON1*, Imelda Juarez-Avelar1, Alicia Vazquez-Mendoza1, Martha Legorreta-Herrera2 and Miriam Rodríguez-Sosa1*
  • 1 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de biomedicina (UBIMED), FES-Iztacala , Mexico
  • 2 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), FES-Zaragoza, Mexico

Malaria and helminth infections are two of the most prevalent parasitic diseases. Mixed parasite infections are common in many parts of the world. Currently it has been suggested that immune response already present due to an in progress infection may influence the immune response to other infection. To test this we developed a murine model of co-infection with Taenia crassiceps (Tc) and Plasmodium yoelii 17XL (Py17XL) parasites. BALB/c mice are able to develop Th1 or Th2 immune responses at different times after Tc infection. Here we explored if time of co-infection and the profile of cytokines Th1 or Th2 in the in vivo environment of a Tc parasitized host modifies the outcome of lethal infection with Py. BALB/c mice were infected via intra peritoneal with Tc, and after 2 (Th1-response) or 8 (Th2-response) weeks mice were co-infected via intravenously with 1X10 3 Py parasitised red blood cells. Three control groups were considered, mice infected only with Py, mice infected with Tc (Tc2 or Tc8), and non-infected mice. The results shown that Py17XL infection was rapidly lethal in the BALB/c mice, 68% of Py-infected mice succumbed on from day 7, at to 11th day post infection, all mice died to severe anemia and cachexia; this was associated with low levels of IL-4 and IL-12 and high levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ. In contrast, when mice were previously infected with Tc for 2 or 8 weeks before Py infection, mice were protected against the early death by Py. Interestingly, co-infection of 2 or 8 weeks with Tc had different effect on survival of mice co-infected with Py. When co-infection was performed at 2 weeks (Tc2), mice showed reduced mortality associated with a decrease in anemia. However, severe caquexia and splenomegaly was present due to the exacerbated inflammatory response (high levels of IL-1β, IL-12 and TNF-α). As a result, all mice from Tc2 co-infection died on day 18. Interestingly, mice co-infected at 8 weeks (Tc8), increased 30% their survival rate compared to mice from Tc2 co-infection, mice from Tc8 co-infection survived until day 30. These mice shown a reduction of severe pathology such as anemia, cachexia and splenomegaly, associated with a mixed profile of Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α) and reduced production of IFN-γ. Thus, our data suggest that a mixed Th1/Th2 profile supports the resistance to Py17XL during co-infection with T. crassiceps. In addition, time previous infection and the profile of cytokines Th1 or Th2 in the T. crassiceps parasitized host altered disease of lethal infection with P. yoelii 17XL.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank CONACyT-Mexico # 0443480 for supported Ph.D. fellowship for the first author, Vıctor H. Salazar-Castañon, to obtain his degree in biomedical sciences, UNAM. This work was supported by Grants 152224 from CONACYT and IN212215 from UNAM-DGAPA PAPIIT.

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Keywords: Concomitant infection, Cytokines, Taenia crassiceps, Co-infections, Plasmodium yoelii, Caquexia, Anemia

Conference: IMMUNOCOLOMBIA2015 - 11th Congress of the Latin American Association of Immunology - 10o. Congreso de la Asociación Colombiana de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología, Medellin, Colombia, 13 Oct - 16 Oct, 2015.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Infectious and parasitic diseases

Citation: SALAZAR-CASTAÑON VH, Juarez-Avelar I, Vazquez-Mendoza A, Legorreta-Herrera M and Rodríguez-Sosa M (2015). Taenia crassiceps – Plasmodium yoelii co-infection the outcome depends on the moment of the infection. Front. Immunol. Conference Abstract: IMMUNOCOLOMBIA2015 - 11th Congress of the Latin American Association of Immunology - 10o. Congreso de la Asociación Colombiana de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología. doi: 10.3389/conf.fimmu.2015.05.00192

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Received: 15 Apr 2015; Published Online: 14 Sep 2015.

* Correspondence:
Dr. VICTOR H SALAZAR-CASTAÑON, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de biomedicina (UBIMED), FES-Iztacala, Mexico, Estado de México, C.P. 54090, Mexico, mestilom@hotmail.com
Dr. Miriam Rodríguez-Sosa, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de biomedicina (UBIMED), FES-Iztacala, Mexico, Estado de México, C.P. 54090, Mexico, rodmir@yahoo.com