Immunomodulation in the intestinal mucosa of mice supplemented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC 7469) and infected with Toxocara canis

Toxocariasis is an anthropozoonosis caused by the helminth Toxocara canis that shows different clinical manifestations as visceral, ocular, or neurological toxocariasis forms. Probiotics have been studied as alternatives to prevent and treat this parasitosis. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a prospect that presents immunomodulatory activity that acts to strengthen the intestinal barrier. In this context, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the protective capacity and immunomodulatory action of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus at the level of the intestinal mucosa in different stages of T. canis infection (acute and chronic). Mice were supplemented by oral gavage with 1 × 107 UFC/mL L. rhamnosus for 15 days before inoculation with 100 embryonated eggs of T. canis. Euthanasia of mice was conducted at three different time points: 2, 15 and 30 days post-inoculation (PI). The brain, lungs and liver were collected to evaluate the intensity of infection. The small intestines were removed, and mucosal cells of the duodenum were collected to perform gene analysis of IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-4 and IL-13 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Jejunum and ileum segments were analysed by histological techniques. A reduction of 51% in infection intensity was observed in the tissue of supplemented animals evaluated 2 days PI; however, analysis of groups 15 and 30 days PI did not show a protective effect. The intestinal mucosa of supplemented animals presented an inflammatory process that initiated at 2 days PI, persisted at 15 days PI and had regressed at 30 days PI. IL-13 transcription was increased in the probiotic group 2 days after supplementation ended; however, the same increase was not observed in the group that was supplemented and infected. Toxocara canis modulated the local immune system, with suppression of IFN-γ at 2 days PI and increased levels of IL-4 and IL-10 at 15 days PI. These results indicate that, under the studied conditions, the protective effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus against infection caused by T. canis is not related to IL-4, IL-10 or IFN-γ but could be influenced by IL-13 action at 2 days PI. The probiotic stimulated immune cell recruitment to the intestinal mucosa, which can be involved in the diminished capacity of larval penetration in the mucosa, resulting in the reduced infection intensity observed during acute infection.