Neutrophils play a key role in schistosome-induced hepatic granuloma formation. Mus musculus

The severity of schistosome egg-induced hepatic granulomatous pathology depends markedly on the nature of the mammalian host immune response. The local cellular and molecular mechanisms that co-ordinate hepatic granuloma formation during schistosome infection are still poorly understood. We used a combination of laser microdissection microscopy and microarray analysis to further our understanding of fibrogenesis and granuloma formation in C57BL/6 mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum. We compared hepatic gene expression profiles in histologically distinct zones both within, and directly proximal to, granulomas during the course of their development. Overall design: Defined zones of granulomas develop in the murine liver infected by Schistosoma japonicum over a period of 4, 6 and 7 weeks post infection were microdissected, and subjected to total RNA isolation and gene expression analysis. Microarray analysis of this study was performed using samples derived from 2 individual mice per group/time-point.