Interleukin-18 enhances a Th2 biased response and susceptibility to Leishmania mexicana in BALB/c mice.
Interleukin-18 deficient mice on a BALB/c background display increased resistance to cutaneous infection with Leishmania mexicana, with reduced lesion progression and reduced parasite burdens compared with wild-type mice. Infected IL-18-/- mice had lower antigen specific IgG1 levels and total IgE levels and conversely higher antigen specific IgG2a levels than similarly infected wild-type mice. Splenocytes isolated from infected IL-18-/- mice produced significantly lower levels of antigen induced IL-4 and higher levels of IFN-gamma than wild-type animals. Consequently IL-18 during L. mexicana infection of BALB/c mice promotes a Th2 biased response and thereby has a disease exacerbating role.
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Karen Jane
KJ
Bryson
Xiao-Qing
XQ
Wei
James
J
Alexander
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma