The proangiogenic role of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells in mice infected with Echinococcus granulosus

Abstract

The aim of this study was to first evaluate the proangiogenic activity of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) in mice infected with Echinococcus granulosus. PMN-MDSCs derived from experimentally infected mice were collected and cultured in vitro, and their effect on angiogenesis was investigated using a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube-formation assay stimulated with the supernatant by microscope and the Angiogenesis module of the software NIH Image J. In addition, the expression levels of several functional factors related to proangiogenic activity were analyzed. The results showed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was increased in the serum from infected mice, and the PMN-MDSCs expressed VEGF directly. The culture supernatant from PMN-MDSCs significantly promoted HUVECs to form tubes. VEGF mRNA was higher and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 levels were lower, in PMN-MDSCs from infected mice than in those from control mice. In conclusion, host angiogenesis in mice infected with E. granulosus appeared to be promoted by PMN-MDSCs. Other specific angiogenic factors derived from PMN-MDSCs and parasites in the microenvironment of infection foci should be clarified in further studies, in order to provide more information for the prophylaxis and treatment of echinococcosis.

Keywords: Echinococcus granulosus; Polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells; proangiogenic; soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1; vascular endothelial growth factor.