Cestode Antigens Block LPS-induced Inflammatory Mediators and Condition Macrophages to Educate Anti-colitic T Cells

We tested the ability of rat worm Hymenolepis diminuta parasite crude antigens (HdAg) to induce a regulatory-associated program in bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMMs). Also, we compared gene expression profile of BMMs exposed to HdAg with those exposed to IL-4 which elicits a well-known alternative program. Macrophages were grown from bone marrow precursors incubated with M-CSF for 7 days. Mature macrophages were exposed for 20 hr to IL-4 (ng/ml), H. diminuta antigens (100ug/ml) or H. diminuta antigens plus anti-IL-10 blocking antibody (5ug/ml) and mRNA collected. Next,10ng of mRNA from each group were hybridized overnight following manufacturer`s instructions and gene expression was compared to unstimulated macrophages.