Eosinophils act as antigen-presenting cells to induce immunity to Strongyloides stercoralis in mice.
The objective of the present study was to explore the ability of eosinophils to present Strongyloides stercoralis antigen in naive and immunized mice. Antigen-pulsed eosinophils were injected intraperitoneally into naive or immunized mice, and then mice were examined for antigen-specific immune responses. A single inoculation of antigen-pulsed eosinophils was sufficient to prime naive mice and to boost immunized mice for antigen-specific T helper cell type 2 (Th2) immune responses with increased interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 production. Mice inoculated 3 times with live eosinophils pulsed with antigen showed significant increases in parasite antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG levels in their serum. Antigen-pulsed eosinophils deficient in major histocompatibility complex class II molecules or antigen-pulsed dead eosinophils failed to induce immune responses, thereby demonstrating the requirement for direct interaction between eosinophils and T cells. These experiments demonstrate that eosinophils function as antigen-presenting cells for the induction of the primary and the expansion of the secondary Th2 immune responses to S. stercoralis in mice.
Padigel
Udaikumar M
UM
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, 233 S. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Hess
Jessica A
JA
Lee
James J
JJ
Lok
James B
JB
Nolan
Thomas J
TJ
Schad
Gerhard A
GA
Abraham
David
D
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal / Q000379:methods; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000276:immunology*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015848:Interleukin-5