Table 2 Studies of human allergic diseases using helminth parasites or by-products in animal models
Allergic Disease | Helminth parasites/their by-products | Model | Outcomes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Asthma | Schistosoma mansoni eggs and cercariae | Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced experimental asthma in BALB/c | Decreased IL-4, IL-5, IgE levels, and Th2 production and increased CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ T cell production | [56] |
Acanthocheilonema viteae ES-62 antigen and Small Molecule Analogs (SMAs) 11a and 12b | OVA-induced mice model (C57BL/6J) | A suppressed Th17/Th2 mediated and neutrophilic airway allergic inflammatory responses were recorded | [57] | |
Heligmosomoides polygyrus Alarmin Release Inhibitor (HpARI) | BALB/cOlaHsd, C57BL/6JOlaHsd, IL-13-eGFP and ST2-deficient (BALB/c) mice models | HpARI revoked IL-33, by reducing eosinophilic responses to Alternaria allergen administration | [58] | |
Trichinella spiralis adult worm extract (Ts-AE) and muscle larvae extract (Ts-MLE) | Female BALB/c mice: OVA-induced asthma mouse model | Ts-AE decreased OVA-specific IgE, eosinophil infiltration, IL-4 and increased IL-10 and TGF-β | [59] | |
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) | Acanthocheilonema viteae ES-62 | gld.apoE−/− mouse model | Infected mice showed low levels of macrophages and anti-nuclear autoantibody, which reduced the percentage of accelerated atherosclerosis by 60% | [60] |
Hymenolepis microstoma | NZBWF1 mice | A lower count of activated lymphocytes and higher levels of regulatory T cells in the lymphoid organs were observed | [61] | |
Eczema | Heligmosomoides bakeri | Dibutyl phthalate fluorescein isothiocynate (DBP-FITC) sensitized C57BL/6 mice | Suppressed cytokine production, modulating allergic responses | [62] |