title: Cytokine responses in mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
abstract: For determination of the kinetics of cytokine production and its possible role in host resistance to Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the mouse, Th1 [interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma] and Th2 (IL-5 and IL-4) cytokine production in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), sera, and culture supernatants of spleen cells (SC) or cervical lymph-node cells (CLNC) of infected BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice was assessed by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-5 and IL-4 were detected in CSF of both strains, with a peak response occurring at around days 12-15 and 20 postinfection (p.i.), respectively. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay also revealed prominent IL-5 and IL-4 mRNA expression in T-cells but not in eosinophils in CSF. SC and CLNC stimulated with A. cantonensis young adult-worm antigen released IL-5 in vitro at and after day 20 p.i. Contrarily, IFN-gamma production in CSF and SC or CLNC culture supernatants was almost negligible before day 30 p.i. IL-5, IL-4, and IL-2 production in culture supernatants was rather prominent in resistant C57BL/6 mice as opposed to susceptible BALB/c mice as assessed by the magnitude of increase over preinfection levels. Antigen-specific IgG1 (but not IgG2a) responses were more prominent in C57BL/6 mice than in BALB/c mice. These data suggest that systemic and local Th2 cytokine responses, especially those involving IL-5, are predominant in A. cantonensis-infected mice and that IL-5 is an important cytokine underlying the innate resistance of the mouse against A. cantonensis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Akita University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugaya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D004802:Eosinophilia; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015848:Interleukin-5; D012333:RNA, Messenger