Protein deficiency alters impact of intestinal nematode infection on intestinal, visceral and lymphoid organ histopathology in lactating mice

Abstract

Protein deficiency impairs local and systemic immune responses to Heligmosomoides bakeri infection but little is known about their individual and interactive impacts on tissue architecture of maternal lymphoid (thymus, spleen) and visceral (small intestine, kidney, liver, pancreas) organs during the demanding period of lactation. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, pregnant CD1 mice were fed a 24% protein sufficient (PS) or a 6% protein deficient (PD) isoenergetic diet beginning on day 14 of pregnancy and were infected with 100 H. bakeri larvae four times or exposed to four sham infections. On day 20 of lactation, maternal organs were examined histologically and serum analytes were assayed as indicators of organ function. The absence of villus atrophy in response to infection was associated with increased crypt depth and infiltration of mast cells and eosinophils but only in lactating dams fed adequate protein. Infection-induced lobular liver inflammation was reduced in PD dams, however, abnormalities in the kidney caused by protein deficiency were absent in infected dams. Bilirubin and creatinine were highest in PD infected mice. Infection-induced splenomegaly was not due to an increase in the lymphoid compartment of the spleen. During lactation, infection and protein deficiency have interactive effects on extra-intestinal pathologies.

Maternal gastrointestinal nematode infection enhances spatial memory of uninfected juvenile mouse pups

“…Despite lower maternal food intake in response to H. bakeri infection during pregnancy 63 , we found no impact of infection on maternal body mass during pregnancy or lactation or on the date of delivery or litter size, all of which would be expected consequences of maternal malnutrition 46 , 64 . Furthermore, total serum protein concentrations have been shown to be higher in H. bakeri infected dams at day 20 of lactation 65 . In the absence of evidence of nutrient deficiencies in pups of H. bakeri infected dams and knowing that nutrient deficiencies would be expected to impair not improve spatial memory 66 – 70 , it is unlikely that nutrient deficiencies account for the improved memory of pups in response to maternal infection.…”