Browsing by Author "Campbell, Alec"

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    Assessment of the Rat Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta and its Antigens in the Treatment of DNBS Colitis
    (2015) Campbell, Alec; McKay, Derek; Rioux, Kevin; Buret, Andre; McCafferty, Donna-Marie; Chadee, Khrisandreth
    The concept of helminth therapy for autoinflammatory disorders is well-established. We utilized the H. diminuta-mouse model system to explore novel therapeutic options. We hypothesized that an optimal treatment regimen for H. diminuta existed which would be ideal for further study. Mice were infected with H. diminuta, or injected with one of two H. diminuta protein extracts, and the impact of this on dinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis assessed. We found infection with a single H. diminuta significantly protected mice from DNBS. A single intraperitoneal injection of H. diminuta soluble products was also protective. Selective degradation of H. diminuta soluble products revealed a glycosylated, heat-stable immunomodulator. Finally, treatment with H. diminuta excretory-secretory products was effective at blocking DNBS. We conclude that infection with H. diminuta could be developed therapeutically for IBD and that further studies investigating the mechanism of H. diminuta’s immunomodulation should focus on the study of its excretory-secretory products.