Evaluating the gene expression level of IL-12 in the fibrous layer of hepatic hydatid cysts isolated from slaughtered animals

Hydatidosis is a zoonotic disease worldwide. This disease is able to induce strong immune responses in the infected host. This study aimed at evaluating the gene expression level of IL-12 in the fibrous layer of hepatic hydatid cysts in bovine and ovine samples. For each one of the bovine or ovine groups, 12 samples were considered (6 = control and 6 = experimental). The test samples were collected from the fibrous layer of the bovine and ovine hepatic hydatid cysts and the control ones from the normal liver tissues. Thus, the total number of samples was 24. The total RNA was extracted from the samples and then converted to cDNA. Subsequently, the gene expression level of IL-12 in both test and control groups of the bovine and ovine samples was measured using quantitative reverse transcription (Q-RT)-PCR procedure. The results showed that IL-12 gene expression level in the fibrous layer of ovine hydatid cyst samples (experimental group) was 0.74-fold that of the ovine normal liver tissue (control group). Moreover, IL-12 gene expression level in the bovine normal liver tissue (control group) was 2.96-fold that of the fibrous layer of the bovine hydatid cyst samples (experimental group). In addition, there was a significant deference between the bovine and ovine samples (p < 0.01). It can be concluded that the bovine hydatid cyst is probably able to induce apoptosis in leukocytes accumulated in the fibrous layer. Therefore, there is a possibility of using compounds of the bovine hydatid cyst in the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.