Acute but not chronic macrophage recruitment in filarial infections in mice is dependent on C-C chemokine ligand 2

Macrophages play an important role in the formation of granulomas and the clearance of Brugia pahangi infections in mice. However, the factors responsible for the recruitment of these cells to the site of infection are not known. In this study we examined the role of the C-C chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2; also known as macrophage chemotactic factor - MCP1) in macrophage recruitment in intraperitoneal infections with B. pahangi. We observed that CCL2 was expressed by peritoneal exudate cells and was present in the sera of wild-type mice. Serum levels of CCL2 peaked twice during the immune response, once during the early, acute phase and again during the late, chronic phase. To further elucidate the role of this chemokine in the anti-filarial immune response, we compared CCL2 deficient (CCL2⁻/⁻) mice to wild-type mice. We observed that macrophage recruitment was impaired only during the acute phase in the former. While macrophage recruitment was unaffected during the chronic phase, increased accumulation of B and T lymphocytes was seen in these mice. We further report that larval clearance and the in vitro adhesion of PECs to larvae were unimpaired in these mice.