Thesis
Mast cells in gastrointestinal helminth infection
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2012
- Thesis identifier
- T13334
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Helper T cells type 2 (Th2)play an essential role in host protective responses against the gastrointestinal (GI) nematode parasite, Trichinella spiralis. It is believed that mast cell recruitment and activation may be associated with parasite expulsion from mice. In the current study, we demonstrate the role of mucosal mast cell (MMC) in gastrointestinal (GI) nematode infection and the mechanisms that may induce nematode expulsion. We do this using mast cell-deficient (Wsh) mice, as these mice are fertile and not anaemic. Similar to previous studies using W/Wv mice, it is found that Wsh mice are impaired in their ability to expel these parasites, but not as significantly as was observed in W/Wv mice. Therefore, mast cells may contribute to worm expulsion, but they may not be essential for a protective response in Wsh mice. Furthermore, in Wsh mice, delayed expulsion is associated with a decrease in intestinal pathology and with a reduction in Th2 response as assessed by a decreased production of the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-9. However, following infection with T. spiralis, the antibody levels of IgG1 and IgE were not reduced in Wsh mice compared with wild type mice. This study concludes that mast cells have a central role in host protective responses to T. spiralis, and the development of enteropathy was not required for the rejection of the parasite. Therefore, different mechanisms may be responsible for the expulsion and for the development of enteropathy. In addition, Wsh mice may be more appropriate models than W/Wv mice in such experiments, as Wsh mice are fertile and therefore can be used more easily in cell transfer and reconstitution experiments using cells derived from knockout and transgenic mice.
- Resource Type
- Note
- Strathclyde theses - ask staff. Thesis no. : T13334
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2012
- Former identifier
- 967026
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File | 2021-07-02 | University of Strathclyde |