Gestation and breastfeeding in schistosomotic mothers differently modulate the immune response of adult offspring to postnatal Schistosoma mansoni infection

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 111; no. 2; pp. 83 - 92
• Main Authors: Santos, Patrícia d'Emery Alves, Lorena, Virgínia Maria Barros de, Fernandes, Érica de Souza, Sales, Iana Rafaela Fernandes, Nascimento, Wheverton Ricardo Correia do, Gomes, Yara de Miranda, Albuquerque, Mônica Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo, Costa, Vlaudia Maria Assis, Souza, Valdênia Maria Oliveira de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 01-02-2016; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Animals, Suckling - immunology; Animals, Suckling - parasitology; Antibodies, Helminth - immunology; breastfeeding; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - parasitology; Cercaria - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Flow Cytometry; Forkhead Transcription Factors - blood; Granuloma, Foreign-Body - immunology; Granuloma, Foreign-Body - parasitology; Granuloma, Foreign-Body - pathology; Immunity, Heterologous - physiology; Immunity, Humoral - physiology; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-4 - blood; Liver Cirrhosis - immunology; Liver Cirrhosis - parasitology; Liver Diseases, Parasitic - immunology; Liver Diseases, Parasitic - pathology; Male; Mice; Mothers; ovalbumin; Ovalbumin - immunology; PARASITOLOGY; postnatal infection; Pregnancy; Schistosoma mansoni - immunology; schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis mansoni - immunology; Spleen - immunology; Spleen - pathology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; postnatal infection; breastfeeding; schistosomiasis; pregnancy; ovalbumin
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 1678-8060; 0074-0276
• DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150293

Schistosoma mansoni antigens in the early life alter homologous and
heterologous immunity during postnatal infections. We evaluate the
immunity to parasite antigens and ovalbumin (OA) in adult mice
born/suckled by schistosomotic mothers. Newborns were divided into:
born (BIM), suckled (SIM) or born/suckled (BSIM) in schistosomotic
mothers, and animals from noninfected mothers (control). When adults,
the mice were infected and compared the hepatic granuloma size and
cellularity. Some animals were OA + adjuvant immunised. We evaluated
hypersensitivity reactions (HR), antibodies levels (IgG1/IgG2a)
anti-soluble egg antigen and anti-soluble worm antigen preparation, and
anti-OA, cytokine production, and CD4+FoxP3+T-cells by splenocytes.
Compared to control group, BIM mice showed a greater quantity of
granulomas and collagen deposition, whereas SIM and BSIM presented
smaller granulomas. BSIM group exhibited the lowest levels of
anti-parasite antibodies. For anti-OA immunity, immediate HR was
suppressed in all groups, with greater intensity in SIM mice
accompanied of the remarkable level of basal CD4+FoxP3+T-cells. BIM and
SIM groups produced less interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-g. In
BSIM, there was higher production of IL-10 and IFN-γ, but lower
levels of IL-4 and CD4+FoxP3+T-cells. Thus, pregnancy in schistosomotic
mothers intensified hepatic fibrosis, whereas breastfeeding diminished
granulomas in descendants. Separately, pregnancy and breastfeeding
could suppress heterologous immunity; however, when combined, the
responses could be partially restored in infected descendants.