title: Immune responses during the acute stages of infection with the intestinal trematode Echinostoma caproni.
abstract: This study investigated the nature of the immune response of C57BL/6 mice infected with the trematode Echinostoma caproni. To determine the preferential development of either a Th1 or Th2 cytokine pattern during early stages of infection, cytokine production by spleen and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells during the first 3 weeks of infection was followed. Whereas spleen cells failed to respond to antigen stimulation, MLN cells produced IFN-gamma and to a lesser extent IL-4. IL-5 levels were elevated throughout the period studied. The humoral response was consistent with a Th1 cytokine pattern as antigen-specific IgG2a antibodies were preferentially developed. We investigated whether IFN-gamma is critical for establishment of E. caproni infection. Worm burden in infected mice treated with a single injection of anti-IFN-gamma mAb was significantly reduced compared to that of animals treated with a control antibody.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, UK. lrb22@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fried
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight; D004449:Echinostoma / Q000276:immunology*; D004451:Echinostomiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma