MCP-1 and MIP-2 levels during Echinococcus granulosus infections in mice

Ten BALB/c mice were infected with the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. Aft er the infection, serum was collected at different periods of time and mono cyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (M IP-2) were determined. The level of MCP-1 increased from 290 +/- 12 pg ml(- 1) (mean +/- SD) at day 20 post infection (p.i.), to a maximum of 820 +/- 2 3 pg ml(-1) on day 60 p.i., then decreased to 460 +/- 12.6 pg ml(-1) on day 130 p.i. A second peak was observed at day 150 p.i. In addition, MIP-2 was detectable in serum as late as day 100 p.i. The highest level 1100 +/- 11 pg ml(-1)) was observed on day 130 p.i., and decreased thereafter. Serum fr om noninfected animals (controls) contained no detectable levels ol either MCP-1 or MIP-2. However, MCP-1 and MIP-2 appear to be implicated in E. gran ulosus infections, but their exact role during the disease is under determi nation.