IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY ON SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI INDUCED LIVER FIBROSIS IN EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED MICE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt

3 Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Abstract

In chronic schistosomiasis, eggs trapped in the liver triggered granulomatous immuno
pathological lesions which leading to severe liver fibrosis. The study checked the impact of IL
17A on serum IL-13 level, TNF-α and TGF-1β protein expressions on S. mansoni induced liver 
fibrosis in experimentally infected mice. Forty four male C57BL/6 pathogen-free mice obtained, 
divided into 4 groups: GI negative control, GII positive control infected with 30±5 cercariae, 
GIII infected/anti-IL-17 mAb was given, GIV isotype-matched IgG2a mAb was given as a chal
lenge, were sacrificed at 6, &10 weeks postinfection, then underwent liver enzymes and cyto
kines assessment, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. The results showed that 
the profibrogenic activity of IL 17 was blocked by anti/IL-17 monoclonal antibodies with signif
icant decrease in IL 13, liver enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines and granuloma size. Also, 
reduced TGF- β1 expression, and increase TNF-α expression levels in livers of S. mansoni
infected mice in the later stages, inducing its anti-fibrotic effects. So may be targeted in Schisto
soma egg induced liver fibrosis as potential immunotherapeutic agent.

Keywords