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Differential pulmonic NK and NKT cell responses in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice

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Abstract

Natural killer cells (NK cells) and natural killer T cells (NKT cells) play a role in anti-infection, anti-tumor, transplantation immunity, and autoimmune regulation. However, the role of NK and NKT cells during Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection has not been widely reported, especially regarding lung infections. The aim of this study was to research the NK and NKT cell response to S. japonicum infection in the lungs of mice. Using immunofluorescent histological analysis, NK and NKT cells were found near pulmonary granulomas. Moreover, flow cytometry revealed that the percentage and number of pulmonic NK cells in S. japonicum-infected mice were significantly increased (P < 0.05). However, the percentage and cell number of NKT cells were decreased compared to those of normal mice (P < 0.05). The expression of CD69 on pulmonic NK and NKT cells was increased after infection (P < 0.05), and CD25 expression increased only on NKT cells (P < 0.05). Intracellular cytokine staining showed a higher percentage of IFN-γ+ and lower percentage of IL-5+ pulmonic NK cells (P < 0.05) compared to controls. However, the percentage of IL-17+, IL-10+, and IL-5+ pulmonic NKT cells significantly increased (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant decrease in NKG2A/C/E (CD94) expression and an increase of NKG2D (CD314) expression on pulmonic NKT cells (P < 0.05), which might serve as a mechanism for NKT cell activation during S. japonicum infection.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of China (81470600 and 81302378), Guangzhou College Scientific Research Projects (2012C117), Applied Basic Research Project from Guangzhou technology bureau (2013J4100030), and Foundation for Distinguished Young Talents in Higher Education of Guangdong (2013LYM-0072).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China

      Hefei Cha, Quan Yang, Hongyan Xie, Jiale Qu, Mei Wang, Daixiong Chen & Jun Huang

    2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, 510515, China

      Wenjuan Qin & Longhua Chen

    3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361004, China

      Wenjuan Qin

    4. Department of Medical Genetics and Cell Biology, School of Basic Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China

      Fang Wang

    5. Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center and Eye Institute of Xiamen University, 361001, Xiamen, China

      Nuo Dong

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    1. Hefei Cha
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    2. Wenjuan Qin
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    3. Quan Yang
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    4. Hongyan Xie
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    8. Fang Wang
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    9. Nuo Dong
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    10. Longhua Chen
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    Correspondence to Longhua Chen or Jun Huang.

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    All experiments were performed in compliance with the requirements of the Animal Ethics Committee at Guangzhou Medical University.

    The experiment gained the approval from the Institutional Animal Committee of Guangzhou Medicine University (2015–012), and was performed according to the guidelines of it.

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    Hefei Cha, Wenjuan Qin and Quan Yang contributed equally to this work.

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    Cha, H., Qin, W., Yang, Q. et al. Differential pulmonic NK and NKT cell responses in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice. Parasitol Res 116, 559–567 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5320-y

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5320-y

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