ARS | Publication request: ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF PUTRESCINE REDUCES CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM OOCYST SHEDDING IN C57BL-6 AND TCR-DELTA-DEFICIENT MICE

Submitted to: Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 15, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Putrescine is a polyamine known to enhance mucosal cellular proliferation and to stabilize cellular membranes. A large quantity of polyamines are produced by the normal microbial flora within the gastrointestinal tract. These luminal polyamines contribute to mucosal growth. Germfree mice (which lack polyamines produced by luminal microflora) are more susceptible to Cryptosporidium parvum infection than conventional mice. In this study, we assessed the ability of orally administered putrescine to alter the course of C. parvum infection in C57BL-6 mice and TCR-delta-deficient mice (genetically deficient in gamma/delta T-cells). Oocyst shedding scores were significantly reduced in the mice treated with putrescine when compared with scores from mice treated with saline (0.9-0.1 vs 2.8-0.1 for C57BL-6 mice and 0.7- 0.2 vs 2.9-0.1 for TCR-delta-deficient mice). Also, histologic evidence suggests that the mice treated with putrescine had reduced C. parvum colonization of the intestinal mucosa as compared with colonization seen in mice which received saline. These data suggests that orally administered putrescine enhances the host's ability to resist C. parvum and/or interferes with the ability of the parasite to complete its life cycle.