Role of neutrophils in innate resistance to Entamoeba histolytica liver infection in mice

Abstract

In order to define the role of neutrophils in the innate resistance to Entamoeba histolytica liver infection in mice, we examined the pattern of liver lesion induced by direct injection of E. histolytica trophzoites in normal mice and in neutrophil-depleted mice. A variety of histological lesions were found, the extent of liver damage was considerably higher in the neutrophil-depleted mice. Livers from neutrophil-depleted mice displayed areas of liquefactive (lytic) necrosis containing a large number of amoebae and absence of neutrophils or mononuclear cells. By contrast, in the liver of normal mice, neutrophils were seen associated to E. histolytica at early stages of infection. In both mouse groups, areas of TUNEL-positive dead hepatocytes were observed and a characteristic internucleosomal banding pattern of genomic DNA consistent with apoptosis was detected in DNA harvested from amoebic liver lesions. These data suggest that neutrophils play an important role in the mechanisms of resistance to amoebic liver infection in mice. In addition, our histological analysis suggests that E. histolytica is capable of producing liver damage in the absence of inflammatory cells.