title: Both interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-4 receptor alpha signaling contribute to the development of hepatic granulomas with optimal antileishmanial activity.
abstract: The roles of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 in the regulation of immunity to Leishmania donovani infection are still poorly understood. Here we show that the increased parasite load observed in IL-4(-/-) and IL-4 receptor alpha(-/-) mice correlates with retarded granuloma maturation and antileishmanial activity and that the increased parasite load observed in IL-4 receptor alpha(-/-) mice correlates with increased NOS2 expression and decreased serum gamma interferon levels. IL-4 and IL-13 appear to play little role in regulating collagen deposition in L. donovani-induced granulomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stäger
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: K Christine
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brombacher
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kaye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse