title: Regulatory effects of Th1-type (IFN-gamma, IL-12) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-10, IL-13) on parasite-specific cellular responsiveness in Onchocerca volvulus-infected humans and exposed endemic controls.
abstract: The present study investigated in vitro the regulatory effects of T helper 1 (Th1)-type (interferon-gamma, IFN-gamma; interleukin-12, IL-12) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-10, IL-13) on Onchocerca volvulus-specific cellular reactivity in onchocerciasis patients, and in exposed endemic control individuals presenting no clinical and parasitological signs of disease. In both patients and controls, addition of IL-10 dose-dependently depressed O. volvulus antigen (OvAg)-specific cellular proliferation, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients who were more sensitive to the suppressive effect of IL-10 than those from endemic controls. However, neutralization of IL-10 by specific antibody did not reverse cellular hyporesponsiveness. In contrast to the inhibitory effects of IL-10, exogenous IL-12 and IL-13 augmented PBMC proliferative responses to OvAg both in patients and controls (P<0. 01) and neutralizing of IL-12 or IL-13 significantly decreased OvAg-specific proliferation in both groups. Exogenous IFN-gamma did not activate OvAg-specific proliferative responses in patients, but anti-IFN-gamma antibodies abolished cellular reactivity to OvAg. Antibody to IL-10 increased (P<0.05) OvAg-specific production of IL-5, IL-12 and IFN-gamma, and inversely, anti-IFN-gamma enhanced IL-10 (in patients only) and IL-5 and IL-13 in both patients and controls. Neutralization of IL-12 activated OvAg-specific production of IL-10, IL-2 and IFN-gamma. In conclusion, despite of an overproduction of IL-10, which suppressed cellular reactivity in patients and control individuals, OvAg-specific cellular responses were activated in vitro by exogenous supplementation with IL-12 and IL-13, and cytokine neutralization experiments confirmed that distinct type 1 and type 2 T helper cytokines cross-regulate expression and magnitude of O. volvulus-specific cellular responsiveness in humans.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Soboslay
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lüder
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riesch
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banla
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Batchassi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stadler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulz-Key
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000276:immunology*; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018793:Interleukin-13; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma