Murine goblet cell hypoplasia during Eimeria pragensis infection is ameliorated by clindamycin treatment

Abstract

The goblet cell (GC) and the intestinal mucus are important in preventing invasion of the mucosa by luminal microorgansisms. GC responses in the jejenum, cecum and colon of C57BL/6 mice during the course of infection with the large intestinal-tropic coccidian, Eimeria pragensis (E. pragensis), were investigated histologically. The numbers of large intestinal GCs (cecum and colon) gradually decreased (hypoplasia) in association with development of endogenous stages of parasite life cycle. The effect was transient and recovery of GC numbers was associated with resolution of coccidial infection. The jejunal GC numbers were not affected by E. pragensis infection. Clindamycin treatment in the infected mice reduced numbers of intracellular parasites and significantly increased the numbers of large intestinal GCs compared with untreated, infected mice.