Possible association between Taenia solium cysticercosis and cancer: increased frequency of DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes from neurocysticercosis patients

Helminths, particularly some Schistosoma species, have been associated with cancer in humans. Neurocysticercosis, produced by cysticerci of the helminth Taenia solium, has been associated with the emergence of brain tumours and haematological malignancies. Local tumours, such as glioblastoma, could be explained by the induction of DNA damage in cells surrounding the cysticercus and chronically exposed to an inflammatory host response. However, systemic effects such as haematological malignancies are not easy to understand. The present work was conducted in Mexico to find out whether DNA damage arises in peripheral lymphocytes in patients with neurocysticercosis. We utilized a highly sensitive technique to analyse chromosomal aberrations, in-situ hybridization with probes against chromosomes 1, 2 and 4, and in addition the blocked-cytokinesis technique was used to determine the formation of micronuclei, a peculiar form of DNA damage. The study was made in lymphocytes from 8 patients before and after the administration of praziquantel, 1 of the 2 drugs used for neurocysticercosis treatment. The frequencies of chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes were higher in the infected patients as compared to those observed both in healthy donors and in the group of patients after praziquantel therapy. Our results suggest that chromosome aberrations induced in peripheral cells during neurocysticercosis could be associated with the development of haematological neoplasias.