Role of Host Granulomatous Response in Murine Schistosomiasis Mansoni. Eosinophil-mediated Destruction of Eggs

Eosinophils form 50% of cells in the host granulomatous response to Schistosoma mansoni eggs, but their functional role in these granulomas and their relation to egg destruction is unknown. We have studied the course of S. mansoni infection in mice treated with normal rabbit serum (NRS) or depleted of their eosinophils by monospecific anti-eosinophil serum (AES). At 6-wk of infection (after 2 wk of egg deposition) the AES-treated animals were similar to NRS-treated controls with the exception that hepatic granulomas in the AES-treated animals were 50% smaller and devoid of eosinophils. At 8 wk of infection, AES-treated mice had significantly higher mortality, spleen weight, portal pressure, and 80% more eggs retained in their livers. These data suggest that eosinophil depletion delayed egg destruction. We subsequently studied destruction of eggs injected into the pulmonary microvasculature of sensitized mice. 2,000 S. mansoni eggs were intravenously injected into the tail veins of mice treated with NRS, anti-neutrophil serum, AES or ATG (anti-thymocyte globulin); at time intervals the remaining eggs were recovered from the lungs by tissue digestion. Egg recovery from NRS- or anti-neutrophil serum-treated mice began to decrease by day 16 and the percent recovery of eggs at day 24 was 55 and 52%, respectively. In contrast, animals treated with AES had smaller lung granulomas that were devoid of eosinophils and a marked delay of egg destruction was seen. It took until day 44 for 50% of the eggs to be destroyed. In ATG-treated animals smaller granulomas were seen that had diminished lymphocytes and also 75% less eosinophils. ATG treatment apparently slowed egg destruction but was not statistically significant. Our data define the role of the eosinophils in destruction of schistosome eggs in vivo and delineates the protective function of these cells within the host granulomatous response.