title: The effect of interleukin-4 on the induction of intestinal mast cells and chronological cytokine profiles during intestinal nematode Strongyloides ratti infection.
abstract: The effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the induction of intestinal mast cells and cytokine profiles during Strongyloides ratti infection was studied using IL-4 knockout (IL-4 KO) mice. The antigen-specific proliferative response of mesenteric lymph node cells was not impaired in IL-4 KO mice. The number of intestinal mast cells induced in IL-4 KO mice during S. ratti infection was 2- to 3-fold lower than that observed in WT mice. Intestinal mastocytosis had disappeared in IL-4 KO mice by day 21 postinfection, when significant mastocytosis continued to be observed in WT mice. In mesenteric lymphnode of IL-4 KO, IL-3 production decreased and mice IFN-gamma production significantly increased as compared with those of WT mice. The numbers of eggs excreted per gram of feces (EPG) by IL-4 KO mice were greater than those excreted by WT mice on day 6 postinfection, but no difference was observed in the subsequent period. In conclusion, intestinal mast cells are induced during S. ratti infection in the absence of IL-4, and IL-4 is not essential for protection against intestinal adult worms of S. ratti.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan. kanji@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017170:Strongyloides ratti / Q000276:immunology*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4