Leishmania major: interleukin-13 increases the infection-induced hyperalgesia and the levels of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-12 in rats.
Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine that was previously shown to be a susceptibility factor for Leishmania major (L. major) infection. In this study we report a different role for IL-13 in rats infected with L. major; rIL-13 stimulates expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and IL-12 which is a key cytokine in protective immunity against Leishmania. Infected rats received daily injections of rIL-13 for eight consecutive days which resulted in increased pain perception for the first week post-infection assessed by thermal pain tests. This hyperalgesia was accompanied by a sustained early up-regulation of interleukin-1beta followed by an up-regulation of IL-12p70. Real-time PCR showed no negative impact for rIL-13 upon the clearance of the parasites from the infection sites and blood.
Haber
Marc E
ME
School of Arts and Sciences, Natural Science Division, Biology Department, Lebanese American University, P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon. Marc.Haber@lau.edu.lb
Daher
Costantine F
CF
Karam
Marc C
MC
Baroody
George M
GM
D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D018793:Interleukin-13; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4