An effective host immune system prevents the growth of most cancer cells. However, as intestinal nematodes are able to induce both immunotolerance and immunosuppression in the host, it is possible that their presence could allow co-occurring cancer cells to proliferate and metastasize. Our findings indicate that previous, subsequent or concurrent intestinal nematode infection affects the formation of lung metastatic nodules in mice experimentally infected with Heligmosomoides polygyrus. In addition, pre-infection with nematodes renders mice resistant to metastasis development in lungs, with the inoculated EL4 cancer cells being located mainly in mesenteric lymph nodes. The present paper discusses the nematode-induced mechanisms which may influence the metastatic process.

有效的宿主免疫系统可阻止大多数癌细胞的生长。但是，由于肠道线虫能够在宿主中诱导免疫耐受和免疫抑制，因此它们的存在可能使共生的癌细胞增殖和转移。我们的研究结果表明，先前，随后或同时发生的肠道线虫感染会影响实验性感染多发性螺旋藻的小鼠肺转移性结节的形成。此外，线虫的预感染使小鼠对肺部转移发展具有抵抗力，接种的EL4癌细胞主要位于肠系膜淋巴结中。本文讨论了可能影响转移过程的线虫诱导的机制。