Language
English
Publication Date
6-1-2026
Journal
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DOI
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
PMID
42263117
PMCID
PMC13268194
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
6-9-2026
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Ascariasis remains a dominant global health burden due to its vast prevalence and associated morbidity. The obligatory migration of Ascaris larvae through pulmonary tissue triggers intense type-2 inflammation which typically presents as acute allergic airway disease. Even after the parasite is eliminated, a single episode of larval migration can result in chronic lung damage and dysfunction, which may be driven by the long-term retention of helminth antigens in macrophages. However, the molecular identity of these retained antigens, and the mechanisms by which they sustain chronic T cell responses, remain unknown. In this study, we utilized immunopeptidomics to identify a retained peptide specific from Ascaris that is sequestered and presented by pulmonary macrophages via MHC-II. We further demonstrated that this retained peptide serves as an epitope which is associated with the development of specific T helper cell populations that persist long after the infection has cleared. These findings define a potential molecular mechanism for persistent helminth-induced immune cell activiation in the lungs and identify a retained epitope as a potential contributor to the development of chronic pulmonary inflammation following parasite elimination from the lungs.
Keywords
Animals, Lung, Antigens, Helminth, Lymphocyte Activation, Ascariasis, Ascaris, Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte, Female, Mice, Macrophages, Alveolar, T-Lymphocytes
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Wu, Yifan; Versteeg, Leroy; Wu, Meng-Chih; et al., "Identification of a Persistent Ascaris-Derived Kalirin Epitope Associated With Chronic T Cell Activation in the Lung" (2026). Faculty, Staff and Students Publications. 7039.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/7039