Enhanced protection against Clonorchis sinensis induced by co-infection with Trichinella spiralis in rats

Although co-infection with multiple parasites is a frequent occurrence, changes in the humoral immune response against a pre-existing parasite induced as a result of a subsequent parasitic infection remain undetermined. Here, we utilized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to investigate antibody responses, cytokine production and enhanced resistance in Clonorchis sinensis-infected rats (Sprague-Dawley) upon Trichinella spiralis infection. Higher levels of C. sinensis-specific IgG and IgA were elicited upon T. spiralis infection, and these levels remained higher than in rats infected with C. sinensis alone. Upon subsequent infection with T. spiralis, IgG antibodies against C. sinensis appeared to be rapidly boosted at day 3, and IgA antibodies were boosted at day 7. Challenge infection of C. sinensis-infected rats with T. spiralis induced substantial mucosal IgG and IgA responses in the liver and intestine and increases in antibody-secreting plasma cells in the spleen and bone marrow. Subsequent infection also appeared to confer effective control of liver C. sinensis loads, resulting in enhanced resistance. Memory B cells generated in response to C. sinensis infection were rapidly amplified into antibody-secreting cells upon T. spiralis infection. These results indicate that enhanced C. sinensis clearance induced by co-infection is associated with systemic and mucosal IgG and IgA responses.