Schistosoma mansoni infection enhances the levels of NGF in the liver and hypothalamus of mice

Abstract

Schistosoma mansoni infection in adult mice is known to cause granulomas in the liver and intestine. Using a specific enzyme-linked immunoassay, it was found that Schistosoma mansoni infection enhances the level of nerve growth factor in the liver and surprisingly also in the hypothalamus. Exogenous administration of purified NGF antibodies inhibits NGF biological activity both in the hypothalamus and liver and drastically reduces the number of NGF-responsive cells, the mast cells, present in liver granuloma. These findings and those reported by others showing the effect of NGF on cells of the immune system support the hypothesis that this molecule plays a role in neuroendocrine-immune interactions.