Korean J Parasitol. 2013;51(5):589-94.

STAT6 expression and IL-13 production in association with goblet cell hyperplasia and worm expulsion of Gymnophalloides seoi from C57BL/6 mice.

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제1저자 김동희, 이진주 · 교신저자 신은희

PMID 24327788 PMC3857510 DOI 10.3347/kjp.2013.51.5.589 IF 1.4 소화기내과

소속 (1)

Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 110-799, Korea.

Abstract

In intestinal helminth infections, Th2 immune respones are generally associated with mucin secretion for worm expulsion from the host intestine. In particular, IL-4 and IL-13 are the important cytokines related with intestinal mucus production via STAT6 signalling in nematode infections. However, this perspective has never been studied in Gymnophalloides seoi infection. The present study aimed to observe the STAT6 signalling and cytokine responses in C57BL/6 mice, a mouse strain resistant to infection with this trematode. The results showed that worm expulsion occurred actively during days 1-2 post-infection (PI), when goblet cells began to proliferate in the small intestine. The STAT6 gene expression in the mouse spleen became remarkable from day 2 PI. Moreover, G. seoi infection induced a significant increase of IL-13 from day 4 PI in the spleen of infected mice. Our results suggested that goblet cell hyperplasia and worm expulsion in G. seoi-infected mice should be induced by STAT6 signalling, in which IL-13 may be involved as a dominant triggering cytokine.

Keywords

Gymnophalloides seoiIL-13STAT6goblet cell hyperplasiaintestinal trematodeworm expulsion

Figures

**Fig. 1** Worm recovery, goblet cell responses, and STAT6 expression in C57BL/6 mice infected with 200 metacercariae of *G. seoi* and sacrificed every day after infection. (A) Chronological worm recovery (%) in mice infected with *G. seoi*. Each value represents mean±SD from 3 mice. (B) Goblet cell numbers per 10 villus-crypt unit (VCU) in the small intestine of mice infected with *G. seoi*. ^*P<0.05. (C) STAT6 expression in the spleen of mice infected with *G. seoi*. Splenocytes were harvested from mice during experimental period and lysed using RIPA buffer. STAT6 concentration in the cell lysate was determined by Western blot analysis. β-actin was used as the housekeeping protein.

**Fig. 2** Intestinal sections showing goblet cell hyperplasia in the jejunum of a normal (A) and *G. seoi*-infected C57BL/6 mice (B, day 2 PI; C, day 3 PI; D, day 4 PI). Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain. ×100.

**Fig. 3** IL-13 and IL-4 expressions in the spleen of mice infected with *G. seoi*. (A) IL-13 concentrations in the spleen after infection, as determined from the supernatant of cultured cells stimulated with *G. seoi* antigen, using an IL-13 ELISA kit. (B) IL-4 concentrations in the spleen after infection, as determined from the supernatant of cultured cells stimulated with *G. seoi* antigen, using an IL-4 ELISA kit. SPL, spleen cells; GMAg, *G. seoi* metacercaria antigen; GAAg, *G. seoi* adult antigen.

그림 출처: PubMed Central 공개 논문 (PMC3857510)

Conflict of interest statement

We have no conflict of interest related to this work.

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