Helminth-derived proteins as immune system regulators: a systematic review of their promise in alleviating colitis

• Published in: BMC immunology Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 21 - 10
• Main Authors: Alghanmi, Maimonah, Minshawi, Faisal, Altorki, Tarfa A., Zawawi, Ayat, Alsaady, Isra, Naser, Abdallah Y, Alwafi, Hassan, Alsulami, Soa’ad M., Azhari, Ala A., Hashem, Anwar M, Alhabbab, Rowa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 18.04.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal models; Animals; Anti-inflammatory drugs; Bacterial infections; Body mass index; Body weight; Care and treatment; Clinical outcomes; Clinical trials; Colitis; Colitis - therapy; Complications and side effects; Crohn's disease; Cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Diagnosis; Disease Models, Animal; Genetic engineering; Health aspects; Helminth Proteins - therapeutic use; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Immune response; Immune system; Immune System - metabolism; Immunologic Factors; Immunomodulation; Immunoregulation; Infections; Inflammation; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Laboratory animals; Lymphocytes T; Mice; Multiple sclerosis; Nematodes; Parasites; Proteins; Systematic review; T cells; Tropical diseases; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Ulcerative colitis; Saudi Arabia; Inflammatory bowel disease; Colitis; Immunoregulation; Helminths; Crohn’s disease; Ulcerative colitis
• DOI: 10.1186/s12865-024-00614-2
• ISSN: 1471-2172

Helminth-derived proteins have immunomodulatory properties, influencing the host’s immune response as an adaptive strategy for helminth survival. Helminth-derived proteins modulate the immune response by inducing anti-inflammatory cytokines, promoting regulatory T-cell development, and ultimately favouring a Th2-biased immune response. This systematic review focused on helminth-derived proteins and explored their impact on reducing inflammatory responses in mouse models of colitis. A systematic search across Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library identified fourteen relevant studies. These studies reported immunomodulatory changes, including increased production of anti-inflammatory cells and cytokines. In mouse models of colitis treated with on helminth-derived proteins, significant improvements in pathological parameters such as body weight, colon length, and microscopic inflammatory scores were observed compared to control groups. Moreover, helminth-derived proteins can enhance the function of Tregs and alleviate the severity of inflammatory conditions. The findings underscore the pivotal role of helminth-derived proteins in immunomodulation, specifically in the axis of cytokine secretion and immune cell polarization. The findings offer new opportunities for treating chronic inflammatory conditions such Crohn’s disease.