title: Effect of CD40 ligand and other immunomodulators on Pneumocystis carinii infection in rat model.
abstract: The corticosteroid-treated animal is well established as an experimental model for the study of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis (PCP). Latent or acquired infection with P. carinii in the murine lung progresses to fatal pneumonitis when the host is profoundly immunocompromized. In this study the effects of five immunomodulators; recombinant CD40 ligand (CD40L), bryostatin 1, recombinant FLT3 ligand (FLT3L), recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and recombinant interleukin-15 (IL-15) were investigated against PCP in a dexamethasone immunosuppressed Sprague-Dawley rat model. The majority of rats (70%) treated with CD40L at the onset of dexamethasone immunosuppression were protected against PCP. When CD40L was given after 10 days of immunosuppression, only 40% of the rats resolved the infection. However, 95% of the control animals developed PCP. Immunosuppressed rats treated with bryostatin 1, an immune activator had a partial (50%) protection against P. carinii infection. In contrast, daily administration of FLT3L, IL-15 or G-CSF provided no protection against P. carinii infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. Hoz1@pop.uky.edu
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Oz
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rehg
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D054713:Bryostatins; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007783:Lactones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018942:Macrolides; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000276:immunology*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D054713:Bryostatins; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007783:Lactones; D018942:Macrolides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C084881:flt3 ligand protein; D023201:CD40 Ligand; C046785:bryostatin 1; D003907:Dexamethasone