Discussion
Several studies on mouse models have reported that infection with some helminths can reduce the progression of specific cancer types. However, the critical anti-tumor effector mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we present our observations that mice infected with
Mesocestoides corti or
Taenia crassiceps dramatically suppress the proliferation and spreading of B16F10 melanoma cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity pre-occupied by the larval tapeworms. To dissect the role of host immunity in this protection, we performed a complex flow cytometry analysis of the sites affected by the tapeworms and melanoma (the peritoneal cavity, liver, and lungs) in ICR and C57BL/6J mice. Additionally, we tested the antigen-specific cytokine production of splenocytes stimulated by either tapeworm or melanoma antigens. While the cytokine profile of splenocytes generally remained unaltered after the restimulation, we detected a massive increase in CD8+ T cells and NK cells in the peritoneal cavity. As these cell types bear a powerful anti-tumor arsenal, their contribution to host protection against melanoma is being further investigated.
Acknowledgment: The study was supported by Czech Science Foundation (21-28946S).
