title: Schistosoma mansoni in IL-4-deficient mice.
abstract: Immunopathology and immune responses to Schistosoma mansoni were examined in IL-4 -/- mice. IL-5 and IL-10 production by lymphoid cells stimulated with soluble egg antigen (SEA), peripheral eosinophilia and serum levels of soluble IL-4 receptor but not IgE were all significantly elevated over background normal levels in IL-4 -/- mice as a result of infection. Additionally, IL-10 and IL-5 in addition to IL-2 and IFN-gamma transcripts were equally evident in diseased liver tissue from infected IL-4 -/- and wild-type mice. Nevertheless, analysis of antigen-stimulated IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IFN-gamma production by lymphoid organ cells from infected or egg-injected IL-4 -/- mice revealed a more Th1-like pattern of cytokine production (IFN-gamma > IL-5) than in (wild-type) mice in which a stronger type 2 response to SEA was detectable (IL-4, IL-5 > IFN-gamma). Despite this, at 8 and 16 weeks after infection, liver pathology, as indicated by the size, cellularity, cellular composition and collagen content of granulomas, was similar in IL-4 -/- and wild-type animals. As in wild-type animals, granuloma size at week 16 was smaller than at week 8, indicating that modulation had occurred in the absence of IL-4. Differences in pathology were seen only when eggs were experimentally embolized to the lungs, in which case IL-4 -/- mice made smaller granulomatous responses than did wild-type animals. These data clearly show that IL-4 is not necessary for the hepatic granuloma formation which occurs during experimental schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, NYSCVM, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheever
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Covalesky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Botran
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000097:blood; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000172:deficiency*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016726:Plasma Cell Granuloma, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000378:metabolism; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma