Immunohistochemical and neurotransmitter changes in the brain of mice infected with hymenolepis Nana

Abstract EN

Background / Aim : Hymeneals nana is one of opportunistic parasites which is widely distributed specially amongst children and immunosuppressed patients.

Some neurological manifestations can occur in immunosuppressed hosts, however, their possible pathogenesis is not clearly yet identified.

The aim of the present work is to study the possible pathogenesis of the neurological manifestations in Hymeneals nana infection.

Material & Methods : Swiss albino mice were used in this study which was divided into two groups.

Group I: Mice were maintained immunocompetent (IC).

Group II: Mice were immunosuppressed (IS) subcutaneous injection of cortisone.

Mice of both groups were orally infected with H.

nana eggs.

Mice were sacrificed at different durations post infection (p.

i.).

Small intestine, liver and rain of each sacrificed mouse were removed.

Counting of cysticercoids and adult worms in small intestine was performed.

Livers were examined histopathologically for the possible cysticercoid dissemination.

Brains were processed for histopathologically examination and immunohistochemical examination for the possible antigenic deposition y PAP technique.

In addition the rain tissue was processed for biochemical estimation of the levels of some neurotransmitters as : Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) as well as zinc as one of trace elements.

Results : The results of the present study showed a significant increase in the number of cysticercoids and adult worms with delayed expulsion immunosuppressed (IS) mice with manifest histopathologically changes in small intestinal mucosa.

Aberrant cysticercoids were detected in the liver of IS mice.

Regarding the rain examination, there were marked histopathologically changes with specific antigenic deposition in IS mice.

There were statistical increase in the levels of GABA and NE and statistical decrease in the levels of 5-HT and zinc in rains of IS mice examined at 3 and 5 months p.

i.

On the of the results of the present study, it hasten shown that in case of immunosuppression, Hymeneals nana infection can affect the rain as evidenced the marked histopathologically changes, specific antigenic deposition and the significant changes in the levels of neurotransmitters and zinc in the rain tissue.

Conclusion : Since H.

nana is widespread and since increasing numbers of patients are given immunosuppressive treatment, it is possible that this peculiar neurological manifestation of H.

nana infection is occurring noting diagnosed.

The pathogenesis of such manifestations seemed to dependent on multifactor that acting together and affecting each other.