Cancers are increasing at an alarming rate with a potential association between parasitosis and cancer. This study was conducted on 190 albino mice to evaluate the possible histopathological changes and immunohistochemical alteration in the expression of β-catenin and p53 as markers of cellular proliferation in ileocecal region induced by chronic irritation with Cryptosporidium oocysts. 180 experimentally immunosuppressed mice were divided into five groups, control noninfected, infected with 50 oocysts/mouse once, infected with 500 oocysts/mouse once, repeatedly infected with 50 oocysts/mouse/week and repeatedly infected with 500 oocysts/ mouse/week. Each group was further subdivided into 3 subgroups according to the date designed for scarification. 10 naïve mice were used as negative control. Histopathological examination of the ileocecal region showed mild to severe villous atrophy and inflammatory exudation in colonic mucosa.
Mice received high inoculum dose showed significantly severe histopathological changes. A progressive increase of cytoplasmic labeling of β-catenin without loss of β-catenin membrane labeling was recorded in groups infected once, in repeatedly infected ones; there was loss of β-catenin membrane labeling and progressive increase of the cytoplasmic labeling of β-catenin without nuclear expression of β-catenin or nuclear expression of p53 in all infected groups.