title: Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha responses during Entamoeba histolytica liver abscess development in gerbils.
abstract: To determine cytokine production patterns during hepatic amebiasis, gerbils were infected with Entamoeba histolytica in the liver. Then spleen and hepatic lymph node cell proliferation and interleukin (IL)-2 (a Th1 marker), IL-4 (a Th2 marker), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in response to concanavalin A and amebic antigen in vitro were quantified. Early abscess development (day 5 after inoculation) coincided with IL-2, IL-4, and low TNF-alpha production and strong lymphoproliferative responses, whereas suppression of IL production and lymphoproliferation occurred during acute disease (day 20). Proliferative responses and IL-2 production increased at days 30 and 60 after inoculation, but IL-4 levels remained low. Animals drug-treated at day 20 after inoculation demonstrated high IL-2 and low IL-4 production and resistance to reinfection. While acute hepatic amebiasis in gerbils is accompanied by transient immunosuppression, late infection and resistance to reinfection are associated with IL-2 production but low IL-4 and TNF-alpha production (Th-1-like response).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology of McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chadee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015415:Biomarkers; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015847:Interleukin-4