Inflammatory arthritis and systemic bone loss are attenuated by gastrointestinal helminth parasites

Autoimmunity. 2017 May;50(3):151-157. doi: 10.1080/08916934.2016.1261837. Epub 2017 Jan 13.

Abstract

Infections with different helminth species have been observed to ameliorate a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases. Herein, we show that the natural murine helminth species, Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri (Hp) is capable of attenuating disease severity in two different inflammatory arthritis models. Furthermore, we show that excretory-secretory (ES) products from Hp directly suppress osteoclast differentiation in vitro. Taken together, these results demonstrate that helminth infections can dampen autoimmune diseases and highlight a previously unrecognized and important role for ES products, by directly impacting on bone destruction.

Keywords: Arthritis; bone metabolism; excretory–secretory products; helminths; osteoclast.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthritis / complications*
  • Arthritis / immunology
  • Arthritis / metabolism
  • Arthritis / pathology*
  • Arthritis, Experimental
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Bone Resorption / complications*
  • Bone Resorption / metabolism
  • Bone Resorption / pathology*
  • Bone Resorption / prevention & control
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / complications*
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / immunology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / parasitology*
  • Helminthiasis / complications*
  • Helminthiasis / immunology
  • Helminthiasis / parasitology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nematospiroides dubius
  • Osteoclasts / cytology
  • Osteoclasts / immunology
  • Osteoclasts / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Cytokines