A spectrum of antibody (IgG, IgG1, IgM) response in mice infected with Trichinella spiralis treated with L-mimosine

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effects of L-mimosine on chronic inflammation, by investigating its effect on the immunological response of BALB/c mice infected with the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis. Specific anti-parasite immunoglobulins (IgG, IgG(1) and IgM) were detected by the ELISA method in the serum of both the treated and the untreated animals at different periods of time for 60 days post infection. Two groups consisting of 18 mice each were used. The mice were 6 weeks of age. Both groups were infected with 220 larvae (L1 - T. spiralis) per os: one group was administered an intraperitoneal injection of L-mimosine (200 mug/100 ml/dose) for 27 days (the first injection started 7 days before infection) and the second group was administered an intraperitoneal injection of saline solution (100 mul/dose). Parasite specific IgG, IgG(1) and IgM levels were determined in the sera of infected, untreated mice. The levels of IgG and IgG(1) were increased following infection and remained elevated throughout the experimental period, while IgM was significantly decreased on the 50(th) day post-infection. These levels were found to be lower in the L-mimosine treated infected mice, compared to the untreated mice. The inhibition started from the 10(th) day and continued until the 60(th) day. In healthy animals, the production of immunoglobulins was not measurable. Non-infected animals treated with L-mimosine also showed no detectable anti-parasite specific immunoglobulins. The results in this study show that the course of IgG, IgG(1) and IgM production in BALB/c mice infected with T. spiralis may be influenced by the administration of L-mimosine.