title: Efficient immunity against Leishmania major in the absence of interleukin-6.
abstract: Mice genetically deficient in the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) exhibit immunodeficiency against viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. When challenged with the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, IL-6-deficient mice controlled infection and mounted strong Th1 responses as efficiently as IL-6-sufficient littermates. Thus, the successful activation of parasitized macrophages and class II-restricted T cells does not require a full inflammatory repertoire.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Reiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology*; D018320:Leishmania major; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma