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Article

Susceptibility to Entamoeba histolytica Intestinal Infection Is Related to Reduction in Natural Killer T-Lymphocytes in C57BL/6 Mice

by
Fabrício M.S. Oliveira
1,2,
Bernardo C. Horta
3,
Luana O. Prata
1,2,
Andrezza F. Santiago
3,
Andréa C. Alves
3,
Ana M.C. Faria
3,
Maria A. Gomes
4 and
Marcelo V. Caliari
2,*
1
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
2
Departamento de Patologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
3
Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
4
Departamento de Patologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Infect. Dis. Rep. 2012, 4(2), e27; https://doi.org/10.4081/idr.2012.e27
Submission received: 23 September 2011 / Revised: 9 January 2012 / Accepted: 4 February 2012 / Published: 27 April 2012

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan that causes amoebiasis. Recent studies demonstrated that natural killer T lymphocytes (NKT) are critical for preventing the development of amoebic liver abscess. In spite of that, there are only a handful of studies in the area. Herein, we explored the role of NKT cells in E. histolytica infection using C57BL/6 wild-type and CD1-/- mice. Animals were inoculated with E. histolytica and sacrificed 48 hours later to collect caecum samples that were used for quantitative analyses of lesions, trophozoites, NK1.1+ T lymphocytes and expression of the mucus protein MUC-2 by immunohistochemistry technique. Quantitative analyses confirmed that the frequency of NK1.1+ T cells was significantly lower in samples from C57BL/6 CD1-/- mice as compared to their wild type (WT) counterparts. The extension of necrotic mucosa was larger and the number of trophozoites higher in Entamoeba (Eh)-infected CD1-/- mice when compared with Eh-infected WT mice. In mice from both groups, noninfected (CTRL) and Eh-infected CD1-/-, there was a reduction in the thickness of the caecal mucosa and in the MUC-2-stained area in comparison with CTRL- and Eh-WT mice. Our results showed that NKT lymphocytes contribute to resistance against Entamoeba histolytica infection and to the control of inflammation in the colitis induced by infection. The presence of a normal epithelial layer containing appropriate levels of mucus had also a protective role against infection.
Keywords: Amoebic colitis; Entamoeba histolytica; natural killer T lymphocytes; MUC-2 mucin; innate immunity Amoebic colitis; Entamoeba histolytica; natural killer T lymphocytes; MUC-2 mucin; innate immunity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Oliveira, F.M.S.; Horta, B.C.; Prata, L.O.; Santiago, A.F.; Alves, A.C.; Faria, A.M.C.; Gomes, M.A.; Caliari, M.V. Susceptibility to Entamoeba histolytica Intestinal Infection Is Related to Reduction in Natural Killer T-Lymphocytes in C57BL/6 Mice. Infect. Dis. Rep. 2012, 4, e27. https://doi.org/10.4081/idr.2012.e27

AMA Style

Oliveira FMS, Horta BC, Prata LO, Santiago AF, Alves AC, Faria AMC, Gomes MA, Caliari MV. Susceptibility to Entamoeba histolytica Intestinal Infection Is Related to Reduction in Natural Killer T-Lymphocytes in C57BL/6 Mice. Infectious Disease Reports. 2012; 4(2):e27. https://doi.org/10.4081/idr.2012.e27

Chicago/Turabian Style

Oliveira, Fabrício M.S., Bernardo C. Horta, Luana O. Prata, Andrezza F. Santiago, Andréa C. Alves, Ana M.C. Faria, Maria A. Gomes, and Marcelo V. Caliari. 2012. "Susceptibility to Entamoeba histolytica Intestinal Infection Is Related to Reduction in Natural Killer T-Lymphocytes in C57BL/6 Mice" Infectious Disease Reports 4, no. 2: e27. https://doi.org/10.4081/idr.2012.e27

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