Trichinella spiralis antigens prime mixed Th1/Th2 response but do not induce de novo generation of Foxp3 + T cells in vitro

Many parasitic helminth infections induce Th2-type immune responses and engage the regulatory network. In this study, we specifically investigated the influence of antigens derived from different life stages of the helminth Trichinella spiralis on the polarization of naive CD4 + T cells by dendritic cells. Results obtained from C57BL/6 mice showed that T. spiralis derived antigens have the capacity to induce bone marrow-derived dendritic cells to acquire an incompletely mature phenotype that promotes a significant proliferation of naive CD4 + T cells and a mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine profile with the predominance of Th2 cytokines. Increased production of IL-4, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-13 accompanied increased IFN-γ. Furthermore, dendritic cells pulsed with T. spiralis antigens did not induce an increase in the population of Foxp3 + T regulatory cells. Although other helminth antigens have demonstrated the capacity to induce de novo generation of Foxp3 + T regulatory cells, here our in vitro studies provide no evidence that T. spiralis antigens have this capacity. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.