Evaluation of recombinant CXCL8(3–73)K11R/G31P in muscle fibrosis and Trichinella larvae encapsulation in a murine model of trichinellosis

Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) larvae in raw or inadequately cooked meat can cause chronic infections in a wide range of hosts including humans. During the development inside the skeletal muscles, T. spiralis larvae infect muscle cells accompanying with the infiltration of host inflammatory cells, eventually create a new type of cell known as nurse cell developing a surrounding vascular network to support the larvae development. Controlling of host inflammatory responses and angiogenesis influences both the nurse cell differentiation and the parasite larvae development. CXCL8 is a chemokine that acts on G-protein coupled receptors, of which activation contributes to fibrosis and angiogenesis. CXCL8(3–73)K11R/G31P (G31P) has been reported as a CXCL8 analogue. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of G31P in inflammatory responses and the development of T. spiralis larvae in muscle tissues of mice infected with T. spiralis. The level of inflammatory factors and the morphology of T. spiralis larvae in infected tissues were investigated through ELISA and electron-microscopy analysis. G31P up-regulated IFN-γ and down-regulated CXCL8 level, and impaired the encapsulation of T. spiralis larvae in vivo. The results showed that G31P influenced the development of T. spiralis larvae in muscle tissues.