The immunomodulatory parasitic worm product ES-62 reduces lupus-associated accelerated atherosclerosis in a mouse model.

Aprahamian, Tamar R. and Zhong, Xuemei and Amir, Shahzada and Binder, Christoph J. and Chiang, Lo-Ku and Al-Riyami, Lamyaa and Gharakhanian, Raffi and Harnett, Margaret M. and Harnett, William and Rifkin, Ian R. (2015) The immunomodulatory parasitic worm product ES-62 reduces lupus-associated accelerated atherosclerosis in a mouse model. International Journal for Parasitology, 45 (4). pp. 203-207. ISSN 0020-7519 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.12.006)

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Abstract

ES-62 is an anti-inflammatory phosphorylcholine-containing glycoprotein secreted by the filarial nematode Acanthocheilonema viteae. Accelerated atherosclerosis frequently occurs in systemic lupus erythematosus, resulting in substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We examined the effects of ES-62 in the gld.apoE(-/-) mouse model of this condition. Treatment with ES-62 did not substantially modulate renal pathology but caused decreased anti-nuclear autoantibody levels. Moreover, a striking 60% reduction in aortic atherosclerotic lesions was observed, with an associated decrease in macrophages and fibrosis. We believe that these latter findings constitute the first example of a defined parasitic worm product with therapeutic potential in atherosclerosis: ES-62-based drugs may represent a novel approach to control accelerated atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

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