title: Cellular immune responses in human neurocysticercosis.
abstract: Studies on the role of cell-mediated immune responses in human neurocysticercosis (NCC) are lacking. Various cell-mediated immune responses such as lymphocyte subpopulation, lymphocyte transformation to cysticercus antigens and cytokine profile were carried out in NCC patients. Lymphocyte transformation assays using larval antigens showed significantly higher (3)H-thymidine uptake. Immunophenotyping analysis showed an insignificant increase in B cells and a decrease in total T cells. However, there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in CD8+ T cells whereas there was no change in other cells like CD4+, HLA-DR+ and CD16+/CD56+. Cytokine profile revealed significantly higher (P < 0.01) production of Th1 cytokines (gamma-IFN and IL-2) using cysticercal antigens as stimulants for peripheral blood mononuclear cells, while there was no difference in IL-4 levels between NCC patients and healthy controls. The cytokine profile indicated the involvement of Th-1-like responses in NCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Grewal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Sawhney
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ganguly
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malla
mesh_terms: D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000276:immunology*; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D018417:Th1 Cells
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma