Successful chemotherapy in experimental leishmaniasis is influenced by the polarity of the T cell response before treatment.
Little is known about the influence of host factors on successful chemotherapy in leishmaniasis. Although successfully treated patients will convert from a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH)-negative to a DTH-positive state, the importance of the immune status of the host before treatment remains largely unexplored. In experimental murine cutaneous leishmaniasis, it was found that increased polarization towards a Th2 cytokine profile before the onset of drug therapy leads to an increased frequency of relapse after treatment. Whereas >50% of mice with established Leishmania major infections were cured when treated with the antileishmanial drug sodium stibogluconate, <10% of mice were cured when the animals had been pretreated with anti-interferon-gamma antibody to polarize the response toward a Th2 cytokine pattern before therapy. With successful drug therapy, cytokine profiles were found to switch from a Th2 to Th1 pattern, and resistance to reinfection was observed.
Nabors
G S
GS
Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
Farrell
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate