MCP-1 and MIP-2 levels during Echinococcus granulosus infections in mice

Ten BALB/c mice were infected with the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. After the infection, serum was collected at different periods of time and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) were determined. The level of MCP-1 increased from 290±12 pg ml-1 (mean±SD) at day 20 post infection (p.i.), to a maximum of 820±23 pg ml-1 on day 60 p.i., then decreased to 460±12.6 pg ml-1 on day 130 p.i. A second peak was observed at day 150 p.i. In addition, MIP-2 was detectable in serum as late as day 100 p.i. The highest level (100±11 pg ml-1) was observed on day 130 p.i., and decreased thereafter. Serum from noninfected animals (controls) contained no detectable levels of either MCP-1 or MIP-2. However, MCP-1 and MIP-2 appear to be implicated in E. granulosus infections, but their exact role during the disease is under determination.