Presence of immunoglobulins and antigens in serum, lung and small intestine in Ascaris suum infected and immunised pigs.

ABSTRACT

The immunodetection of local Ascaris suum antigens and local and systemic antibodies were analysed in pigs reinfected with eggs or immunized with the 14, 42 and 97 kilodalton (kDa) fractions from A. suum. Twenty-one Iberian pigs were divided in 7 groups of 3 pigs. Groups 1 and 2 were uninfected and challenge control groups, respectively. Groups 3 and 4 were infected weekly with increasing doses of A. suum eggs and Group 4 was additionally treated with pyrantel pamoate. Groups 5, 6 and 7 were immunised with the 14, 42 or 97 kDa fractions from adult worms, respectively. Groups 2-7 were challenged with 10,000 infective eggs. Animals of Groups 3 and 4 showed a pulmonary granulomatous reaction with moderate number of eosinophils and leukocytes, while Groups 5-7 presented higher number of cells, especially in animals immunized with the 42 kDa fraction. These immunized groups presented abundant deposition of Ascaris body fluid (BF) and body wall (BW) antigens as well as the 14 and 42 kDa fractions in the pulmonary and intestinal tissues, while lower deposition of antigens was observed in animals of Groups 3 and 4. The immunized pigs of Groups 5 and 6 showed the highest systemic IgG titres in serum and these antibodies were negatively correlated with the number of larvae recovered in the lungs, suggesting that the IgG response may have a protective function against the ascariosis. The highest concentrations of IgA-bearing cells were observed in animals of Groups 3 and 4 compared to the immunised pigs (Groups 5-7), suggesting that local IgA production may be involved in the protection against migrating larvae. The main localisations of IgA-bearing cells were the bronchial and peribronchial areas of lungs and the lamina propia of duodenum. Low numbers of local IgG-bearing cells were observed in all animals and no IgM-bearing cells were detected in the local tissues.