Nava-Castro Karen Elizabeth, Pavón Lenin, Becerril-Villanueva Luis Enrique, Ponce-Regalado María Dolores, Aguilar-Díaz Hugo, Segovia-Mendoza Mariana, Morales-Montor Jorge
Laboratorio de Biología y Química Atmosférica, Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico.
Laboratory of Psychoimmunology, National Institute of Psychiatry "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Mexico City 14370, Mexico.
Pathogens. 2022 Mar 1;11(3):308. doi: 10.3390/pathogens11030308.
The interaction of the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems is crucial in maintaining homeostasis in vertebrates, and vital in mammals. The spleen is a key organ that regulates the neuroimmunoendocrine system. The mouse system is an excellent experimental model to study the complex host-parasite relationship, particularly sex-associated susceptibility to infection. The present study aimed to determine the changes in neurotransmitters, cytokines, sex steroids, and sex-steroid receptors in the spleen of cysticercus-infected male and female mice and whole parasite counts. We found that parasite load was higher in females in comparison to male mice. The levels of the neurotransmitter epinephrine were significantly decreased in infected male animals. The expression of IL-2 and IL-4 in the spleen was markedly increased in infected mice; however, the expression of Interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ decreased. We also observed sex-associated differences between non-infected and infected mice. Interestingly, the data show that estradiol levels increased in infected males but decreased in females. Our studies provide evidence that infection leads to changes in neuroimmunoendocrine molecules in the spleen, and these changes are dimorphic and impact the establishment, growth, and reproduction of . Our findings support the critical role of the neuroimmunoendocrine network in determining sex-associated susceptibility to the helminth parasite.
神经、免疫和内分泌系统之间的相互作用对于维持脊椎动物的体内平衡至关重要，在哺乳动物中更是至关重要。脾脏是调节神经免疫内分泌系统的关键器官。小鼠系统是研究复杂宿主-寄生虫关系，特别是性别相关感染易感性的优秀实验模型。本研究旨在确定感染囊尾蚴的雄性和雌性小鼠脾脏中神经递质、细胞因子、性类固醇和性类固醇受体的变化以及全虫计数。我们发现，与雄性小鼠相比，雌性小鼠的寄生虫负荷更高。感染的雄性动物中神经递质肾上腺素的水平显著降低。感染小鼠脾脏中白细胞介素-2（IL-2）和白细胞介素-4（IL-4）的表达明显增加；然而，白细胞介素-10（IL-10）和干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）的表达下降。我们还观察到未感染和感染小鼠之间存在性别相关差异。有趣的是，数据显示感染的雄性小鼠中雌二醇水平升高，而雌性小鼠中雌二醇水平降低。我们的研究提供了证据，证明感染会导致脾脏中神经免疫内分泌分子发生变化，这些变化具有两性差异，并影响寄生虫的建立、生长和繁殖。我们的研究结果支持神经免疫内分泌网络在决定性别相关的蠕虫寄生虫易感性方面的关键作用。
