Eosinophils in Haemonchus contortus-infected resistant and susceptible breeds of sheep: Abomasal tissue recruitment and in vitro functional state

A comparative experimental study was performed between Barbados Black Belly (resistant) and INRA-401 (susceptible) breeds of sheep in which primary infection with Haemonchus contortus was terminated on day 16. Measurements of parasite burden, abomasal tissue eosinophilia, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 mRNA transcripts in abomasal mucosa, and in vitro larval killing abilities of blood eosinophils were performed. The results show that: (1) worm burden was significantly lower and blood eosinophilia higher in the Black Belly than in the INRA breed. (2) Abomasal cytokine expression was noticed but no difference existed between the two breeds. (3) Three out of four Black Belly sheep had higher tissue eosinophil numbers compared to the INRA sheep (more eosinophils observed in the pyloric than in the fundic region in both breeds). (4) No significant difference was observed in the in vitro larval immobilizing potential of eosinophils between the two breeds. Collectively, abomasal eosinophil number and larval killing abilities of blood eosinophils do not seem to explain the difference in worm burden between the two breeds.