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Helminth protection against type-1 diabetes: an insight into immunomodulatory effect of helminth-induced infection

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Abstract

Helminths are the old dirty friends of humans from decades and may live undetected by the immune system for years in the tissues. They have evolved as good experts at subverting the immune system. Despite of their pathogenicity, they provide protection to their host against certain inflammatory diseases such as diabetes by modulating the immune mechanisms. These parasites are extra-cellular and induce Th2 response which triggers the adaptive immune cells as well as innate immune cells to work synergistically allowing Tregs to work in a toll-like receptor-dependent manure. T-helper cells type-2 also secrete certain anti-inflammatory cytokines including IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and TGF-β which also provide protection against type-1 diabetes. Several helminths such as T. crassiceps, S. venezuelensis, filarial worms, Schistosoma spp. and T. spiralis have been reported to prevent diabetes in mouse models as well as in some clinical trials. Immunomodulatory talent of helminths is receiving greater attention to prevent diabetes. Herein, an attempt has been made to review and highlight the possible immuno-modulatory mechanisms by which helminths provide protection against diabetes. Moreover, this review also emphasizes on the use of helminth-derived molecules or synthetic derivatives of helminth-antigens in clinical trials to overcome rapidly growing autoimmune disorders including diabetes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Adnan Sabir Mughal, Muhammad Kasib Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Hammad ur Rehman Bajwa, Abdullah Khalid Chatha, Arsalan Zafar & Muhammad Nadeem

  2. Chemotherapy Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Rao Zahid Abbas

  3. Immuno-Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Zia ud Din Sindhu

  4. Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Imran

  5. Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan

    Asghar Abbas

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  1. Muhammad Adnan Sabir Mughal
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Contributions

MASM wrote this manuscript. ZA designed the layout of manuscript. HuRB, AKC and AZ helped in data finding. MN designed the figures of mechanisms. RZA, ZuDS, MI and AA proof-read the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Muhammad Kasib Khan.

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We declare that we have no known conflict of interests, including competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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In this article, no trials were carried out on any human or animal.

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Mughal, M.A.S., Khan, M.K., Abbas, Z. et al. Helminth protection against type-1 diabetes: an insight into immunomodulatory effect of helminth-induced infection. Mol Biol Rep 48, 6581–6588 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-021-06663-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-021-06663-9

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