The immune response of regional lymph nodes during the early stages of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle

In this study we examined regional immune responses to Fasciola hepatica infection in the natural ruminant host. Naïve cattle and those pre‐exposed to a drug‐abbreviated infection were subsequently challenged and lymph nodes extracted at slaughter. In vitro proliferation and cytokine production by mononuclear cells isolated from hepatic and mesenteric lymph nodes were measured after culture with whole fluke antigen (WFA). Hepatic lymph node cells had a significantly greater response to parasite antigen than mesenteric lymph node cells (P < 0·02), although there was no difference in the magnitude of the proliferative response between naïve and pre‐exposed challenged cattle. Mononuclear cells from hepatic lymph nodes produced interferon gamma, interleukin 2 and interleukin 4 after culture with parasite antigen, indicative of a mixed, T helper type 0, response. Comparison of the hepatic node response to a variety of F. hepatica antigens showed that proliferation was lower after culture with cathepsin‐L, than with a high molecular weight fraction, WFA or excretory–secretory antigen. Cell culture supernatant fluid from unstimulated hepatic lymph node cells showed an IgG1 response to antigens of 48, 52–70, 82, 96 and 120–190 kDa on Western blot in pre‐exposed, but not naïve, challenged animals.