title: In vivo expression of cytokine mRNA in rats infected with Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: As an animal model, rat schistosomiasis mansoni has provided considerable knowledge of immune mechanisms involved in the expulsion of worms and in a subsequent development of immunity to reinfection. Although it is clear that ADCC mechanisms participate in immunity to reinfection; the nature of the cytokines involved in immunity is unknown. To analyse the pattern of cytokines involved, the mRNA levels of different cytokines were assessed by RT-PCR as they occur within tissues during the course of infection. In spleens from infected rats, a significant elevation in IL-2 and IL-5 mRNA was observed during the early phase of infection (day 7). Analysis of pulmonary cytokine responses showed a dramatic increase in IL-4 and IL-5 on day 7. This was accompanied with a low but significant increase in IL-2 (day 11) and IL-12 (day 7) in the absence of augmented IFN-gamma expression. The cytokine expression patterns of draining lymph nodes (LN) from infected rats showed a significant increase of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5 on day 21. Analysis of IL-10 expression showed exclusively a significant increase in LN on day 11, IFN-gamma mRNA was not detected in any tissue sample. Thus, rats develop a predominately Th2-type cytokine response during a primary infection which may be involved at least in part, in the expression of immunity against Schistosoma mansoni infection.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Immunologie et de Biologie Parasitaire, INSERM U167, Institut Pasteur, Lille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cêtre
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cocude
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pierrot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capron
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capron
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khalife
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007371:Interferon-gamma