Effects of Electrolyzed Alkaline Reduced Water on Echinostoma hortense Infection and Immune Response in C57BL/6 Mice

Abstract:

To examine the effect of the electrolyzed alkaline reduced water (ERW) on animal immunity, by employing Echinostoma hortense that is a parasite in the small intestine, the immune response of C57BL/6 was examined. To C57BL/6 mice, Echinostoma hortense metacercaria 15 per animal was in oculate dorsally, the worm was collected after 2 weeks, and the change of goblet cells and mast cells in the mucosa of small intestine was examined, and by using a protein chip, the change of cytokines in the serum was compared and observed. As a result, average 8.3 worms were collected from the C57BL/6 mice infected with E. hortense, and in the group fed with the ERW, average 10 worms were collected. In regard to the examination of the change of goblet cells, in the experimental group infected with E. hortense and fed with the ERW, average 4.3 worms per villus were detected, hence, it was found that the expression of goblet cells was low (p<0.001). Regarding the examination of the change of mast cells, similarly, in the group infected with E. hortense and fed with the ERW, average 11 worms per villus were detected, and it appears to be less than control group (p<0.001). Regarding the expression of cytokines in mouse serum, in comparison of the experiment group infected with E. hortense and control group, in the expression of the Th1 cytokines IL-6, IL-$1{beta}$, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2, and the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, a significant difference was not detected. In our study, it was found that in the infection of E. hortense, the ERW mediates its effect on the number of goblet cells and mast cells in the intestinal mucosa, and simultaneously, the worm expulsion was delayed, and thus the conclusion that the ERW mediated its effect on the intestinal immunity of mice was obtained.