Deneysel Kist Hidatik ve Meme Kanseri Modelinde Gelişen İmmün Baskılanma Karaciğeri Hedef Organ Haline Getirir

Abstract

Turkey is included in the endemic regions for Echinococcus granulosus infections. It is believed that due to its antigenic similarity Liver is the target organ in many cancers. Strong immune responses are one of the factors that can hinder the tumor cells’ dissemination. In this study, the change in immune responses in liver during E. granulosus infection and its effect on breast cancer’s liver and other organ metastases were investigated. Four experimental groups were formed with five-week-old inbred female BALB/c mice. At the beginning, animals in the control group (n=5) and in the breast cancer group (n=6) were intraperitoneally injected with physiological saline solution (0.5 ml) whereas the Echinococcus infection group (n=8) and the Echinococcus infection and breast cancer group (n=10) received 3000 viable protoscoleces suspended in 0.5 ml physiological saline. On the 13th week, 4T1 cells (5x104 cells/100 μl) were inoculated into the right-inguinal mammary fat pad of the mice in the breast cancer group and in the Echinococcus infection and breast cancer group. The other groups were injected with physiological saline. By the end of 15th week (3 weeks after the cancer cells’ inoculation), the animal experiments were terminated. In this study, the change in immune responses in liver during E. granulosus infection and its effect on breast cancer liver and other organ metastases were investigated by macroscopy, histopathological examination and immunological analyses performed with flow cytometry. In the experimental E. granulosus infection and breast cancer model, both hydatid cyst formation and cancer metastasis were increased in the liver. In addition, Th1 type of immune responses (CD4+IFN-γ+ and CD4+CCR5+ T cells), which is associated with metacestode killing and anti-tumor immunity, was significantly decreased in the liver. In addition, the amount of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells that are immune suppressive was increased. These experimental data indicate that simultaneous presence of E. granulosus infection and cancer may be destructive for the liver.