Increased interleukin-4 and interleukin-5 production in response to Schistosoma haematobium adult worm antigens correlates with lack of reinfection after treatment.
Acquired immunity to human schistosomiasis correlates with increased serum levels of schistosome antigen-specific IgE. Since interleukin (IL)-4 stimulates IgE production, the hypothesis that Th2-associated cell-mediated immunity participates in protection to reinfection was studied in a cohort of adolescent boys 12-18 months after chemotherapeutic cure in Upper Egypt. Initial Schistosoma haematobium prevalence was 51% and posttreatment incidence was 44%. Water contact was similar between putatively resistant and susceptible patients. Resistant persons had a 3.5- to 14-fold greater frequency of schistosome adult worm antigen (SWAP)-specific lymphocytes secreting IL-5 or IL-4 (by ELISPOT) and IL-5 or IL-4 production in peripheral blood lymphocyte culture supernatants (P < .05 to < .001, n = 48) versus susceptible subjects (n = 38). In contrast, SWAP-induced interferon-gamma and IL-10 production and lymphocyte proliferation were similar between the 2 groups. Schistosome egg antigen and streptolysin O each stimulated similar cytokine production in susceptible and resistant persons. Thus, enhanced SWAP-driven IL-4 and IL-5 production correlates with immunity to reinfection in adolescents exposed to urinary schistosomiasis.
Department of Tropical Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt.
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Medhat
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Shehata
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Bucci
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Mohamed
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Dief
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Badary
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Galal
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Nafeh
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King
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D002033:Bulinus / Q000469:parasitology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003470:Culture Media; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D003470:Culture Media; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4