Trichinella spiralis: enteric mucin-related response to experimental infection in conventional and SPF pigs

Duodenal and jejunal responses to infection with Trichinella spiralis were compared in weaned piglets with a “normal dirty” vs. a “clean SPF” gut flora. Histochemical staining of neutral, acidic, sialylated, and sulphated residues was used to assess biosynthetic responses in mucin-secreting goblet cells. Peanut and Ulex lectins were also used to assess responses within the intestinal glycocalyx. Histomorphometric analysis was undertaken to evaluate the distribution and staining patterns of goblet cells in villi and crypts. Our analysis showed that stored mucin within goblet cells increased more in the infected conventional animals than in the infected SPF group. This was accompanied by changes in the pattern of sulphation and sialylation in the duodenum and jejunum. The thickness of the glycocalyx was increased in both duodenum and jejunum in both infected groups. However, this effect was greater for the infected SPF animals than the infected conventional animals. No significant differences were observed between uninfected conventional and uninfected SPF pigs.