title: Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in pregnant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major at different gestational periods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess if gestational factors affect the resistance of C57BL/6 mice to L major infection, this study determined the levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma in popliteal lymph node cells of pregnant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major at 16 hours, 5 days-, 10 days- and 15 days- post plug by PCR, ELISA and BIOASSAY.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infected pregnant C57BL/6 mice developed larger cutaneous footpad lesions compared with non-pregnant C57BL/6 mice (that showed signs of resolution 7-10 weeks after infection). But, the lesions in infected pregnant C57BL/6 mice and infected non-pregnant C57BL/6 mice were not as large as in susceptible BALB/c mice. The mean litter weight was also reduced in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice particularly in the groups infected at later stages of pregnancy (day 10- and day 15-post plug). The levels of both IL-4 and IFN-gamma increased with gestation in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice compared with pregnant non-infected group, while only IL-4 was raised in pregnant infected mice compared with infected non pregnant mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be concluded that increased IL-4 in pregnant infected C57BL/6 mice caused the transient susceptibility to L major infection while reduced litter weight was associated with increased IFN-gamma. These effects were pronounced in C57BI/6 mice infected with L major in late pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Arinola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tacchini-Cottier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aseffa
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Salimonu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis*; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma