Romano M C, Valdéz R A, Cartas A L, Gómez Y, Larralde C
Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, CINVESTAV del IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000 D.F., Mexico, Mexico.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2003 Jun;85(2-5):221-5. doi: 10.1016/s0960-0760(03)00233-4.
Many examples of reciprocal endocrine interactions between parasites and hosts have been found in insects, arthropods and mammals. Cysticercosis produced by Taenia solium metacestodes is a widely distributed parasite infection that affects the human and the pig. Taenia crassiceps experimental murine cysticercosis has been used to explore the role of biological factors involved in host-parasite interactions. We had shown that T. crassiceps cysticercosis affects the serum concentration of steroid hormones and the reproduction behavior of the male mice host. In an effort to understand the biology of the parasite, we had investigated the parasite capacity to produce sex steroids. For this purpose, T. crassiceps cysticerci were incubated in the presence of different steroid precursors. TLC and recrystallization procedures showed that testosterone is produced from 3H-androstenedione in cysticerci. The conversion of 3H-testosterone to androstenedione, although present is much less significant. In addition, we had studied the production of testosterone by T. solium cysticerci. For this purpose, cysticerci were dissected from pork meat and incubated as above described. The results showed that T. solium cysticerci also produce testosterone. We have speculated about the importance of androgens in the growth of T. crassiceps cysticerci and found that the addition of the antiandrogen flutamide to the culture media of the parasites significantly decreased 3H-thymidine incorporation. We therefore hypothesized, that the ability of cysticerci to produce testosterone from steroid precursors might be important for the parasite growth and development.
在昆虫、节肢动物和哺乳动物中，已发现许多寄生虫与宿主之间相互内分泌作用的例子。猪带绦虫中绦期幼虫引起的囊尾蚴病是一种广泛分布的寄生虫感染，可感染人类和猪。克氏假裸头绦虫实验性鼠囊尾蚴病已被用于探索参与宿主 - 寄生虫相互作用的生物学因素的作用。我们已表明，克氏假裸头绦虫囊尾蚴病会影响雄性小鼠宿主的血清类固醇激素浓度和生殖行为。为了了解该寄生虫的生物学特性，我们研究了该寄生虫产生性类固醇的能力。为此，将克氏假裸头绦虫囊尾蚴在不同类固醇前体存在的情况下进行孵育。薄层色谱法和重结晶程序表明，睾酮是由囊尾蚴中的3H - 雄烯二酮产生的。3H - 睾酮向雄烯二酮的转化虽然存在，但程度要小得多。此外，我们还研究了猪带绦虫囊尾蚴睾酮的产生。为此，从猪肉中取出囊尾蚴并按上述方法进行孵育。结果表明，猪带绦虫囊尾蚴也能产生睾酮。我们推测了雄激素在克氏假裸头绦虫囊尾蚴生长中的重要性，并发现向寄生虫培养基中添加抗雄激素氟他胺可显著降低3H - 胸腺嘧啶核苷的掺入。因此，我们假设，囊尾蚴从类固醇前体产生睾酮的能力可能对寄生虫的生长和发育很重要。
