Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T17:05:30.561Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Worm therapy: for or against?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2011

D. Pritchard*
Affiliation:
Immune Modulation Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

Abstract

This article succinctly reviews the weight of evidence supporting worm therapy, and asks the question whether the evidence is sufficient to support the use of parasitic worms as investigational medicinal products.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bager, P., Arnved, J., Rønborg, S., Wohlfahrt, J., Poulsen, L.K., Westergaard, T., Petersen, H.W., Kristensen, B., Thamsborg, S., Roepstorff, A., Kapel, C. & Melbye, M. (2010) Trichuris suis ova therapy for allergic rhinitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 125, 123130.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bashir, M.E., Andersen, P., Fuss, I.J., Shi, H.N. & Nagler-Anderson, C. (2002) An enteric helminth infection protects against an allergic response to dietary antigen. Journal of Immunology 169, 32843292.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blount, D., Hooi, D., Feary, J., Venn, A., Telford, G., Brown, A., Britton, J. & Pritchard, D. (2009) Immunologic profiles of persons recruited for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of hookworm infection. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81, 911916.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Correale, J. & Farez, M. (2009) Helminth antigens modulate immune responses in cells from multiple sclerosis patients through TLR2-dependent mechanisms. Journal of Immunology 183, 59996012.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dittrich, A.M., Erbacher, A., Specht, S., Diesner, F., Krokowski, M., Avagyan, A., Stock, P., Ahrens, B., Hoffmann, W.H., Hoerauf, A. & Hamelmann, E. (2008) Helminth infection with Litomosoides sigmodontis induces regulatory T cells and inhibits allergic sensitization, airway inflammation, and hyperreactivity in a murine asthma model. Journal of Immunology 180, 17921799.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feary, J., Venn, A., Brown, A., Hooi, D., Falcone, F.H., Mortimer, K., Pritchard, D.I. & Britton, J.R. (2009a) Safety of hookworm infection in individuals with measurable airway responsiveness: a randomized placebo-controlled feasibility study. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 39, 10601068.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Feary, J.R., Venn, A.J., Mortimer, K., Brown, A.P., Hooi, D., Falcone, F.H., Pritchard, D.I. & Britton, J.R. (2009b) Experimental hookworm infection: a randomized placebo-controlled trial in asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 40, 299306.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hepworth, M.R., Hamelmann, E., Lucius, R. & Hartmann, S. (2010) Looking into the future of Trichuris suis therapy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 125, 767768.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kradin, R.L., Badizadegan, K., Auluck, P., Korzenik, J. & Lauwers, G.Y. (2006) Iatrogenic Trichuris suis infection in a patient with Crohn disease. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 130, 718720.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortimer, K., Brown, A., Feary, J., Jagger, C., Lewis, S., Antoniak, M., Pritchard, D. & Britton, J. (2006) Dose-ranging study for trials of therapeutic infection with Necator americanus in humans. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 75, 914920.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pacífico, L.G., Marinho, F.A., Fonseca, C.T., Barsante, M.M., Pinho, V., Sales-Junior, P.A., Cardoso, L.S., Araújo, M.I., Carvalho, E.M., Cassali, G.D., Teixeira, M.M. & Oliveira, S.C. (2009) Schistosoma mansoni antigens modulate experimental allergic asthma in a murine model: a major role for CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cells independent of interleukin-10. Infection and Immunity 77, 98107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pritchard, D.I. (2005) Sourcing a chemical succession for cyclosporin from parasites and human pathogens. Drug Discovery Today 15, 688691.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pritchard, D.I. (2009) Can parasites be good for you? The Biochemist 31, 2831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, D.S., Larché, M.L. & Durham, S.R. (2004) T regs and allergic disease. Journal of Clinical Investigation 114, 13891397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodrigues, L.C., Newcombe, P.J., Cunha, S.S., Alcantara-Neves, N.M., Genser, B., Cruz, A.A., Simoes, S.M., Fiaccone, R., Amorim, L., Cooper, P.J. & Barreto, M.L. (2008) Early infection with Trichuris trichiura and allergen skin test reactivity in later childhood. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 38, 17691777.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smits, H.H., Hammad, H., van Nimwegen, M., Soullie, T., Willart, M.A., Lievers, E., Kadouch, J., Kool, M., Kos-van Oosterhoud, J., Deelder, A.M., Lambrecht, B.N. & Yazdanbakhsh, M. (2007) Protective effect of Schistosoma mansoni infection on allergic airway inflammation depends on the intensity and chronicity of infection. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 120, 932940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Summers, R.W., Elliott, D.E., Qadir, K., Urban, J.F. Jr, Thompson, R. & Weinstock, J.V. (2003) Trichuris suis seems to be safe and possibly effective in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology 98, 20342041.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Summers, R.W., Elliott, D.E., Urban, J.F. Jr, Thompson, R.A. & Weinstock, J.V. (2005) Trichuris suis therapy for active ulcerative colitis: a randomized controlled trial. Gastroenterology 128, 825832.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Summers, R.W., Elliott, D.E. & Weinstock, J.V. (2010) Trichuris suis might be effective in treating allergic rhinitis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 125, 766767.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van den Biggelaar, A.H., van Ree, R., Rodrigues, L.C., Lell, B., Deelder, A.M., Kremsner, P.G. & Yazdanbakhsh, M. (2000) Decreased atopy in children infected with Schistosoma haematobium: a role for parasite-induced interleukin-10. Lancet 356, 17231727.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, M.S., Taylor, M.D., Balic, A., Finney, C.A., Lamb, J.R. & Maizels, R.M. (2005) Suppression of allergic airway inflammation by helminth-induced regulatory T cells. Journal of Experimental Medicine 202, 11991212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed