INDUCTION OF MONOCYTE CHEMOTACTIC PROTEIN-1 (MCP-1) AND TNF-ALPHA BY TRICHINELLA-SPIRALIS IN SERUM OF MICE IN-VIVO

MCP-1 is a small (8-10 KDa) protein and a prototype member of the CC c hemokine beta subfamily, which plays a critical role in acute and chro nic inflammation. Recent evidence suggests an important role for MCP-1 , MCP-2 and MCP-3 in a number of pathological states, including delaye d type hypersensitivity conditions, parasitic infections and rheumatoi d arthritis. Forty BALB-c mice were treated with the parasite Trichine lla spiralis. After the infection the animals were sacrificed at diffe rent periods from the initial infection and MCP-1 and TNF alpha were q uantified in the mouse serum. The level of MCP-1 in the serum of mice infected with 100 larvae increases from 27.5 +/- 7.0 pg/ml at day 23, to a maximum level of 31.5 +/- 5.0 pg/ml at day 33, then decreased to 14.6 +/- 2.0 pg/ml at day 47. When the mice were infected with 200 lar vae of T. spiralis the maximum increase was 34.4 +/- 2.5 pg/ml found o n day 23. From day 33 to day 47 MCP-1 levels were decreased. In additi on, in infected mice levels of TNF alpha were detectable in the serum as early as day 1. The level of TNF alpha was maximum at day 35 (3812 +/- 224 pg/ml). Serum from non-infected mice contained no detectable l evels of either MCP-1 or TNF alpha. However, even if MCP-1 seems to be implicated in Trichinellosis, its exact role and function in inflamma tory parasitic diseases remains to be determined.