The effect of cyclosporin A in murine visceral leishmaniasis.
Leishmania donovani is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of macrophages whose control is effected by cellular mechanism. In order to determine the role of T-helper cells and their soluble mediators in the control of the infection, the effects of cyclosporin A (CsA) were studied in strains of mice (C57L/J and C57BL/6J) known to be resistant and susceptible. Mice treated with CsA (200 mg/kg) exhibited as early as day 15 a significant increase in the level of their infection. The number of parasites was 3 times higher in CsA-treated mice of both strains when compared to untreated controls. The proportional difference in the level of infection between C57BL/6J and C57L/J mice was, however, not affected by treatment. Infection and CsA treatment, respectively, reduced or abolished the capacity of spleen cells to produce IL-2. Infection also abolished the production of IL-1 by macrophages. Both strains were, however, able to recover from the infection without functional T-helper lympho-cytes and/or the IL-1 IL-2 which had been inhibited by treatment with CsA.
Olivier
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Institute of Parasitology of McGill University, Macdonald College, Québec, Canada.
Tanner
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CE
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D006224:Cricetinae; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000276:immunology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D003524:Cyclosporins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2