de Ruiter K, Tahapary DL, Sartono E, Nutman TB, Smit JWA, Koenderman L, Supali T, Yazdanbakhsh M. The Effect of Helminths on Granulocyte Activation: A Cluster-Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial in Indonesia.
J Infect Dis 2020;
219:1474-1482. [PMID:
30452713 DOI:
10.1093/infdis/jiy665]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Eosinophils are a prominent cell type in the host response to helminths, and some evidence suggests that neutrophils might also play a role. However, little is known about the activation status of these granulocytes during helminth infection.
METHODS
We analyzed the expression of eosinophil and neutrophil activation markers in peripheral blood by flow cytometry and measured serum levels of eosinophil granule proteins in 300 subjects residing in an area endemic for soil-transmitted helminths (STH). The data generated are on samples before and after 1 year of 3-monthly albendazole treatment.
RESULTS
Anthelmintic treatment significantly reduced the prevalence of STH. While eosinophil numbers were significantly higher in STH-infected compared to uninfected subjects and significantly decreased following albendazole treatment, there was no effect exerted by the helminths on either eosinophil nor neutrophil activation. Although at baseline eosinophil granule protein levels were not different between STH-infected and uninfected subjects, treatment significantly reduced the levels of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) in those infected at baseline.
CONCLUSIONS
These results show that besides decreasing eosinophil numbers, anthelmintic treatment does not significantly change the activation status of eosinophils, nor of neutrophils, and the only effect seen was a reduction in circulating levels of EDN.
CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION
http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN75636394.
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