Induction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in mice during Toxocara canis larvae migration

Abstract

The relationships between inflammation in organs with Toxocara canis larval migration and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were investigated following the infection of mice with 1,000 infective eggs. Gelatinase activity was defined by gelatin zymography, optimum pH, inhibitor specificity and Western blot analysis. MMP-9 activity was present in the lungs, liver, muscles, and brain during T. canis larval migration. This enzyme had a molecular weight of about 94 kDa and showed maximum activity in the pH range of 6-8. The increased MMP-9 proteinases coincided with larval recovery and the degree of inflammation among the four organs. These results suggest that MMP-9 may be associated with the inflammatory reaction to larval toxocariasis during early migration, and may therefore be a useful marker during T. canis larvae migration.

Assessment of Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Alterations in the Brain in a Mouse Model of Visceral Larva Migrans

“…In the present study, the brain larval loads showed an ascending pattern in the accumulation of larvae in the brain tissues over the infection course. These results agreed with Lai et al (2005) and Chou et al (2017) who reported a steady increment of larval loads in the brain with time. This progressive accumulation of the larvae in brain could be due to the favorable environment for the larvae survive as it is an immune-privileged site where the larvae become protected from the host immune response (Holland and Hamilton, 2013).…”

“…In the current work, the expression of MMP-9 in the brain tissues of the infected animals significantly increased in comparison to the negative control animals and it was proportional to the larval recovery rate in the brain tissues. These results were similar to those of Lai et al (2005) who reported that activity of MMP-9 increased in the lungs, liver, muscles, and brain tissues during T. canis larval migration. Besides, Shyu et al (2019) demonstrated that MMP-9 had a major job in granuloma formation during the progression of ocular toxocariasis via reinforcement of inflammatory cell infiltration and degradation of extracellular matrix proteins.…”

Microarray analyses of gene expression in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus leucocytes during monogenean parasite Neoheterobothrium hirame infection

“…MMP-9 is important for leukocyte migration and inflammation owing to its ability to degrade basement membranes and components of the extra cellular matrix (Dubois et al 1999). Induction of MMP-9 in mice during nematoda parasite infection has also been reported (Lai et al 2005). MMP-13 has a key role in the MMP activation cascade (Leeman et al 2002).…”