Th2 polarization of the immune response of BALB/c mice to Ixodes ricinus instars, importance of several antigens in activation of specific Th2 subpopulations.
BALB/c mice were infested with Ixodes ricinus larvae, nymphs or adults. Expression of IL-4 and IFN-gamma mRNA in axillary and brachial draining lymph node cells were measured by competitive quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction 9 days after the beginning of primary-infestation. IL-4 mRNA was always higher than that of IFN-gamma mRNA for all tick instars. Moreover, IL-4 mRNA expression progressively increased during nymphal primary-infestation with a high burst of expression 7 days after the beginning of infestation. No evolution of IFN-gamma mRNA expression was detected. Draining lymph node cells of infested BALB/c produced higher level of IL-4 than IFN-gamma following in vitro restimulation with adult tick saliva, salivary gland extract (SGE) or with five selected different chromatographic fractions of SGE. Anti-tick IgG1 antibodies but no IgG2a were detected in BALB/c pluri-infested with I. ricinus nymphs, which confirmed the Th2 polarization of the immune response.
Institute of Zoology, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
N
N
Mejri
N
N
Franscini
B
B
Rutti
M
M
Brossard
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002845:Chromatography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018884:Ixodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000276:immunology*; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma