Abstract In experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH) of Th1 profile, an extract of adult Ascaris suum worms (ASC) was previously found to deviate the immune response to a Th2/IL-10 pattern. Here, the effects of treatment with ASC on production of TGF-β and the anti-Ascaris isotypes IgG1 and IgG2a in EAH were evaluated. EAH was induced in BALB/c mice, intravenously with concanavalin A. Two hours later, these animals received ASC (EAH+ASC group) or PBS vehicle (EAH group). IgG1 and IgG2a were evaluated 8 h, 24 h and 7 d after induction. TGF-β was measured in a splenocyte culture at this last time. The isotype levels in the EAH group were low throughout the kinetics. In the EAH+ASC group, there was significant production of IgG1 at 24 h and 7 d, but of IgG2a only at 7 d. There was statistically greater production of TGF-β in the EAH+ASC group. The higher levels of IgG1 and TGF-β in this group suggest that an additional Th1 response control route exists in EAH, which needs to be investigated.

Background Extract of adult Ascaris suum (ASC) worms attenuated the liver damage in experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH) with induction of Th2 immune response, but fibrosis occurred. N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) has protective effects against liver fibrosis. Objectives Evaluate the association ASC + NAC on the T‐ and B‐cell activation, inflammation and fibrogenic markers in the liver in EAH. Methods Experimental autoimmune hepatitis was induced intravenously with concanavalin A in BALB/c mice. EAH + ASC+NAC group received NAC and ASC; EAH + ASC group received ASC; EAH group received PBS. Doubly labelled CD4+ T (CD28, CTLA‐4, CD40L or IL‐10) and CD45R+ B lymphocytes (IL‐10) and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ cells were evaluated, along with gene expression of Col1a1, α‐SMA, Fizz1, Arg1 and PPAR‐γ and histomorphometry. Results Experimental autoimmune hepatitis group showed high frequency of CD28+ and CD40L+ T lymphocytes, but not the EAH + ASC group. In relation to EAH group, the Fizz1 expression was lower in both groups treated, but Arg1 expression was lower in only EAH + ASC+NAC group. In the EAH + ASC+NAC group, there were higher frequencies of CD4+IL‐10+ and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ cells, but not CD45R+IL‐10+, along with mitigated inflammation and collagen production. Conclusions Ascaris suum favoured immunosuppression in EAH limiting the T cells activation. However, association ASC and NAC was necessary for attenuating the inflammatory process and collagen production.

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