Decrease of peritoneal inflammatory CD4+, CD8+, CD19+ lymphocytes and apoptosis of eosinophils in a murine Taenia crassiceps infection

After an intraperitoneal infection of mice with Taenia crassiceps metacestodes, peritoneal inflammatory cells labeled with fluoresceinated MoAb anti-mouse were analyzed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was studied by annexin A/PI, TUNEL assays, DNA laddering, caspase-3 activity, and electron microscopy. An important continuous decrease of CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes, and an increase of eosinophils and macrophages throughout the observation time were found. Apoptosis of eosinophils was quantified during the observation period with a peak at 6 days post-infection (67.27%). In an additional experiment at 12 days post-infection using TUNEL staining, a high level of apoptosis of eosinophil (92.3%) and a significant decrease of CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ lymphocytes were confirmed. Caspase-3 activity in peritoneal fluid, peritoneal cells' DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis of eosinophils and monocytes were found. The dramatic decrease of peritoneal inflammatory T and B cells and the high level of apoptosis of inflammatory eosinophils induced in mice by infection with T. crassiceps cysticerci may be important factors of the immunosuppression observed in cysticercosis.