Changes in Th cells and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in the spleens and MLNs of mice
The mice were sacrificed 7 and 14 days after the start of C. rodentium modelling. The spleens and MLNs of each group were removed, and the number of Th cells was assessed by flow cytometry. The results showed that 7 and 14 days after C. rodentium infection, the expression of IFN-γ and IL-12 in the spleens and MLNs of mice in the CR group increased (P <0.01). Compared with that observed in the CR group, the expression of IFN-γ and IL-12 in the spleens and MLNs of mice the TS group was decreased (P <0.01), and while that of IL-10 and IL-4 was increased (P <0.05). These results showed that C. rodentium primarily induced the production of Th1 cytokines in mice, while T. spiralis infection primarily induced the production of Th2 cytokines. Compared with that observed in the CR group, the expression of IFN-γ and IL-12 in the spleens and MLN of mice in the TS+CR group was reduced (P >0.05), showing that the Th2-type cytokine response caused by T. spiralis infection could inhibit the development of Th1-type inflammation induced by C. rodentium . Similarly, the expression of IL-10, IL-4 and IL-17 in the spleens and MLNs of mice in the TS+CR group was significantly lower than that observed in the TS group (P <0.05). These results successfully showed that the Th1-type cytokine response caused byC. rodentium infection can inhibit the Th2-type immune response induced by T. spiralis (Fig. 6, 7).
The mice were sacrificed 14days after C. rodentium modelling. The spleen and MLN of each group were removed, and the expression of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs was detected by flow cytometry. The result showed that compared with that in the control group, the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in the spleens and MLNs of mice in the TS group was increased (P <0.01), showing that T. spiralis infection could induce CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg production in mice. Compared with that observed in the TS group mice, the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in the spleens and MLNs of mice in the TS+CR group mice was decreased (P <0.05), showing that infection with C. rodentium could inhibit the expression of Tregs induced by T. spiralis (Fig. 6,7).