Immunological Interactions between 2 Common Pathogens, Th1-Inducing Protozoan Toxoplasma gondii and the Th2-Inducing Helminth Fasciola hepatica
Figure 3
Macrophages recovered from the peritoneal cavity of mice co-infected with T. gondii and F. hepatica are classically activated.
Mice were infected with F. hepatica 5 days prior (A) or 3 days subsequent (B) to infection with T. gondii. Mice infected with either F. hepatica alone or T. gondii alone were used as controls. Fifteen (A) or eleven (B) days post F. hepatica infection (day 10 (A) or 14 (B) post T. gondii infection respectively) peritoneal exudate cells were recovered from the peritoneal cavity by flushing with PBS. Expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Arginase 1 (Arg 1) and β-actin in adhered peritoneal exudate cells were analysed by RT-PCR. The data shown are from single mice and are representative of results obtained from all mice in each group. Serum levels of NO were determined in the same mice. Serum was collected by cardiac puncture on (A) day 10 post T. gondii infection (day 15 post F. hepatica infection) or (B) day 14 post T. gondii infection (day 11 post F. hepatica). A modified Griess reaction was used to measure NO (see Materials and Methods). The results represent the mean±SE of one experiment with five animals per group (A) or eight animals per group (B). ). a represents groups where the values obtained were significantly different to values obtained for the T. gondii-only infected mice and b represents groups where the values obtained were significantly different to those obtained for the F. hepatica-only infected group (P<0.05, Mann-Whitney non-parametric test).