Experimental Parasitology 112 (2006) 158–163 www.elsevier.com/locate/yexpr 0014-4894/$ - see front matter  2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2005.11.001 Trichinella spiralis infection aVects p47 phox protein expression in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages Jolanta M. Dzik a,¤ , Zbigniew Zielijski a , Barbara Goios a , Elrbieta Waiajtys-Rode b a Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur St., 02-093 Warszawa, Poland b Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 6 Powstajców Warszawy St., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland Received 19 August 2005; received in revised form 28 October 2005; accepted 2 November 2005 Available online 13 December 2005 Abstract To establish whether NADPH oxidase activation, responsible for previously demonstrated Trichinella spiralis-induced respiratory burst, results from assembling of membrane and cytosolic NADPH oxidase components and/or increased expression of the oxidase complex pro- teins, the superoxide anion production and expression of the regulatory p47 phox subunit were measured in cultured alveolar macrophages obtained during T. spiralis infection of guinea pigs. The results demonstrate for the Wrst time helminth parasite-infection-induced stimulation of NADPH oxidase p47 phox subunit protein expression, with the eVect being decreased by in vivo treatment with cyclosporin A, previously shown to inhibit T. spiralis infection-induced respiratory burst in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages. However, although the expression of the p47 phox subunit protein remained induced during secondary infection, it was accompanied by superoxide anion production that was signiW- cantly suppressed in comparison with that observed during primary infection, suggesting suppressive action of T. spiralis on host’s alveolar macrophage immune response, presumably connected with NADPH oxidase complex activity attenuation.  2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Index Descriptors and Abbreviations: Alveolar macrophages; Cyclosporin A; NADPH oxidase (EC 1.23.45.3); Nematode; p47 phox protein expression; Superoxide anion; Superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1); Trichinella spiralis; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; BALF, bronchoalveolar lavage Xuid; CsA, cyclosporin A; MCP-1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1; MIP-2, macrophage inhibitory protein; PMA, phorbol myristate acetate; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD, superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) 1. Introduction Pulmonary alveolar macrophages located at the air/tis- sue interface are exposed to air-borne pathogens, as well as to blood-transported or parasite-derived antigens. Many parasitic helminths have the so called “lung phase” during their host colonization. Among those is the parasitic nema- tode Trichinella spiralis, whose newborn larvae deposit their cuticle surface antigens while passing through lung microvascular system on their way to the muscles (Bruschi et al., 1992). It has been shown that T. spiralis infection, and immunization of rodents evokes immunological response dependent on the recruitment of macrophages to the peritoneal cavity and activation of their eVector function (Wang and Bell, 1992). Our previous studies demonstrated that primary T. spiralis infection of guinea pigs induces an early pulmonary response comprising an increase of cellu- lar inWltration of alveolar lumen (Dzik et al., 2002a). Of particular interest was a signiWcant, although transient, increase of alveolar macrophage number, and stimulation of their oxidative activity (Dzik et al., 2002a), starting at 6th day after infection, when T. spiralis newborn larvae reach the lung vasculature. This provides a convenient model for a study of the dependence between enzyme protein expres- sion and activity of NADPH oxidase under inXuence of nematode parasite infection. The superoxide anion, one of main eVector molecules of the innate immune response, is produced by the multi-com- ponent enzyme complex of NADPH oxidase, comprised of * Corresponding author. Fax: +4822 8225342. E-mail address: rode@nencki.gov.pl (J.M. Dzik).