HTLV-1 decreases Th2 type of immune response in patients with strongyloidiasis.
Eosinophils, immunoglobulin (Ig)E and cytokines have important roles in defence mechanisms against helminths. In this study, the influence of HTLV-1 infection, characterized by a Th1 type of immune response, was evaluated on the cytokine pattern and parasitic specific IgE response in patients with strongyloidiasis. Patients were divided into four groups: strongyloidiasis without HTLV-1 infection, strongyloidiasis with HTLV-1, HTLV-1 without strongyloidiasis and controls without either helminth infection or HTLV-1. The cytokine profile was determined in supernatants of mononuclear cells stimulated with Strongyloides stercoralis crude antigen and the parasite specific IgE was measured by ELISA. Patients coinfected with HTLV-1 had higher levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-10 (P < 0.05) and lower levels of IL-5 and IgE (P < 0.05) than patients with strongyloidiasis without HTLV-1. There was an inverse relationship between IFN-gamma and IL-5 (P = 0.01; rs = - 0.37) and between IFN-gamma and parasite specific IgE (P = 0.01; rs = - 0.39), and a direct relationship between IFN-gamma and IL-10 (P = 0.04; rs = 0.35). These data show that coinfection with HTLV-1 decreases IL-5 and IgE responses in patients with strongyloidiasis consistent with a relative switch from Th2 to Th1 response. Immunological responses such as these are important in the control of this helminthic infection.
Porto
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AF
Serviço de Imunologia do Hospital Unversitário Prof. Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Neva
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FA
Bittencourt
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H
Lisboa
W
W
Thompson
R
R
Alcântara
L
L
Carvalho
E M
EM
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000276:immunology*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma