garin Says:
June 16th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Some species of tapeworm secrete a molecule that is phosphorylated by the human TGF-beta type I receptor. TGF-beta activates foxp3 in human T cells which has been suspected in the transformation to regulatory T cells (Tregs). Cannot help but speculate that is how some tapeworms evades the host immune system. And since the lack of Tregs is suspected in a handful of human diseases, one wonders if the lack of tapeworms could be partially responsible for some of those diseases.
The murine model of chemically induced colitis is reversed by inoculation with a murine tapeworm. This mechanism is block by neutralizing IL-10. Tregs secrete lots of Il-10.
http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/content/full/174/11/7368There are several phase II trials testing hookworm and pig whipworm for the treatment of human colitis, asthma and multiple sclerosis. Doubt anyone will ever conduct a tapeworm trial. Seems there is no getting over the “ick” factor with this one…
Poor Dr. Fujita.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2007/02/19/build-me-a-tapeworm/[][][][][][][][][]
(Here’s a digression but a good one: some monogeneans give birth to offspring without releasing them from their bodies. Their offspring mature inside them and give birth as well. Like a hideous Russian doll, a monogenean may contain twenty generations of descendents inside its body! ["Kids, it's time you found a place of your own..."])