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Strongyloides ratti: studies of cutaneous reactions elicited in naive and sensitized rats and of changes in surface antigenicity of skin-penetrating larvae

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

T.D. McHugh ,
T. Jenkins  and
Diane J. McLaren
T.D. McHugh
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Portsmouth Polytechnic, Portsmouth PO1 2DY
T. Jenkins
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Portsmouth Polytechnic, Portsmouth PO1 2DY
Diane J. McLaren
Affiliation:
Division of Parasitology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
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Summary

This study provides the first quantitative assessment of the cutaneous reaction elicited in naive and sensitized rats by invading larvae of Strongyloides ratti. Parasites were identified in skin samples harvested from both naive and sensitized rats between 0·5 and 8 h following percutaneous infection, but were no longer visible at the site of invasion at 24 h. Mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and mononuclear cells recruited into the dermis in response to invading larvae were recorded and quantified. Cellular infiltrates were observed as early as 1 h post-invasion in naive/challenged skin, where total cell numbers were up to 3 times greater than in naive control tissue. Peak numbers of all cell types were recorded from 3 to 8 h in both naive/challenged and sensitized/challenged hosts. Interestingly, the reaction in sensitized/challenged rats was neither enhanced nor accelerated, a feature perhaps attributable to lack of recognition of parasite antigens by the host. This possibility was investigated by immunofluorescent labelling, which clearly demonstrated changes in the surface antigen profile of the parasite following penetration of the host skin both in vitro and in vivo. It is proposed that these changes in surface antigenicity constitute an evasive stratagem used by the parasite to deter the host from mounting a potentially lethal inflammatory response.

Keywords

Strongyloides ratticutaneous reactionssurface antigenicityskin-penetrating larvae.
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 98 , Issue 1 , February 1989 , pp. 95 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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