NanoString analysis of mouse granulomas induced by H. polygyrus infection

Heligmosomoides polygyrus larvae induce a strong intestinal granuloma response within their murine host, which has been associated with resistance. Immune cells, mostly alternatively activated macrophages and eosinophils, accumulate around the tissue encysted parasites to immobilize and damage/kill developing worms. In a one dose (bolus) experimental infection, infected C57Bl/6 mice are unable to clear parasites which results in chronic infection with high worm burdens. However, using a frequent dose trickle model of infection, we, like others, have found that C57Bl/6 mice can clear infection. The nanoString data included here measure the expression of key myeloid genes within the granuloma tissue from bolus and trickle infections. Our results highlight the importance of the granuloma in the host’s ability to clear H. polygyrus and emphasise the need to study this key tissue in more depth, rather than using correlates such as general intestinal or systemic responses. A total of 15 samples are included, for five separate infection conditions with replicates. One of the conditions is uninfected control mice (intestinal tissue from the same area of intestine the worms infect), 2 replicates. The experimental conditions include 2 time points (7 days post infection and 21 days post infection) for bolus- and trickle-style infections, each done with 3 or 4 replicates.