Amelioration of ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation in a mouse model by Trichinella spiralis novel cystatin

Research (Published online: 27-11-2023)

24. Amelioration of ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation in a mouse model by Trichinella spiralis novel cystatin

Nipa Thammasonthijarern, Kobporn Boonnak, Onrapak Reamtong, Thanyaluk Krasae, Janyaporn Thankansakul, Wallaya Phongphaew, Sumate Ampawong, and Poom Adisakwattana

Veterinary World, 16(11): 2366-2373

Nipa Thammasonthijarern: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Kobporn Boonnak: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Onrapak Reamtong: Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Thanyaluk Krasae: Laboratory Animal Science Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Janyaporn Thankansakul: Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Wallaya Phongphaew: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Sumate Ampawong: Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Poom Adisakwattana: Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background and Aim: Asthma, a chronic disease affecting humans and animals, has recently become increasingly prevalent and steadily widespread. The alternative treatment of asthma using helminth infections or helminth-derived immunomodulatory molecules (IMs) has been evaluated and demonstrated significant amelioration of disease severity index in vitro and in vivo. Trichinella spiralis, a parasitic nematode and its IMs, elicits a potential to relieve asthma and other immune-related disorders. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory function of recombinant T. spiralis novel cystatin (rTsCstN) in ameliorating acute inflammatory asthma disorders in a murine model.

Materials and Methods: Female BALB/c mice were sensitized using intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA)/alum and subsequently challenged with intranasal administration of OVA alone or OVA + rTsCstN for 3 consecutive days, producing OVA-induced allergic asthma models. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of rTsCstN, the inflammatory cells and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E levels in serum were assessed. Histological alterations in the lung tissues were determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and eventually scored for the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration.

Results: The asthmatic mouse models challenged with OVA + rTsCstN demonstrated a significant reduction of eosinophils (p < 0.01), macrophages (p < 0.05), and cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (p < 0.05) and interferon (IFN)-γ (p < 0.05) in BALF when compared with the mice challenged with OVA alone. However, the levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 remained unchanged. Histological examination revealed that mice administered OVA + rTsCstN were less likely to have inflammatory cell infiltration in their perivascular and peribronchial lung tissues than those administered OVA alone.

Conclusion: Recombinant T. spiralis novel cystatin demonstrated immunomodulatory effects to reduce severe pathogenic alterations in asthma mouse models, encouraging a viable alternative treatment for asthma and other immunoregulatory disorders in humans and animals in the future.

Keywords: asthma, immunomodulatory molecule, recombinant Trichinella spiralis novel cystatin, Trichinella spiralis.