IL-17 and IL-22 are associated with protection against human kala azar caused by Leishmania donovani.
IL-17 and IL-22 have been shown to increase protection against certain bacteria and fungal pathogens in experimental models. However, no human studies have demonstrated a crucial role of IL-17 and IL-22 in protection against infections. We show here that Leishmania donovani, which can cause the lethal visceral disease Kala Azar (KA), stimulates the differentiation of Th17 cells, which produce IL-17, IL-22, and IFN-gamma. Analysis of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokine responses by cultured PBMCs from individuals in a cohort of subjects who developed KA or were protected against KA during a severe outbreak showed that IL-17 and IL-22 were strongly and independently associated with protection against KA. Our results suggest that, along with Th1 cytokines, IL-17 and IL-22 play complementary roles in human protection against KA, and that a defect in Th17 induction may increase the risk of KA.
Pitta
Maira G R
MG
INSERM, Unité 906, Marseille, France.
Romano
Audrey
A
Cabantous
Sandrine
S
Henri
Sandrine
S
Hammad
Awad
A
Kouriba
Bouréma
B
Argiro
Laurent
L
el Kheir
Musa
M
Bucheton
Bruno
B
Mary
Charles
C
El-Safi
Sayda Hassan
SH
Dessein
Alain
A
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000502:physiology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000502:physiology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D053759:Interleukin-23; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22