Abstract
Parasitic filarial nematodes infect more than 200 million individuals worldwide, causing debilitating inflammatory diseases such as river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. Using a murine model for river blindness in which soluble extracts of filarial nematodes were injected into the corneal stroma, we demonstrated that the predominant inflammatory response in the cornea was due to species of endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria. In addition, the inflammatory response induced by these bacteria was dependent on expression of functional Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on host cells.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Brugia malayi / physiology
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Cornea / immunology
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Cornea / metabolism
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Cornea / microbiology
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Cornea / parasitology
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Dipetalonema / physiology
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Doxycycline / pharmacology
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Doxycycline / therapeutic use
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Eosinophils / immunology
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Humans
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Immunity, Innate
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Keratitis / immunology
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Keratitis / microbiology
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Keratitis / parasitology
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Keratitis / pathology
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Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
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Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C3H
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Microscopy, Confocal
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Neutrophil Infiltration
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Neutrophils / immunology
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Onchocerca volvulus / immunology
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Onchocerca volvulus / microbiology*
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Onchocerca volvulus / physiology
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Onchocerciasis, Ocular / immunology*
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Onchocerciasis, Ocular / microbiology*
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Onchocerciasis, Ocular / parasitology
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Onchocerciasis, Ocular / pathology
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Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
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Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
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Symbiosis*
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Toll-Like Receptor 4
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Toll-Like Receptors
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Wolbachia / immunology
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Wolbachia / pathogenicity*
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Wolbachia / physiology
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Drosophila Proteins
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Membrane Glycoproteins
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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TLR4 protein, human
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Toll-Like Receptor 4
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Toll-Like Receptors
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Doxycycline