title: Splenic and lung response to nonlethal systemic Aspergillus fumigatus infection in C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: In this study, we investigated splenic and lung cell responses to nonlethal systemic Aspergillus fumigatus infection in mice. Apart from basic indices of spleen and lung cell activity, IL-17 expression by cells from both tissues was determined and compared to the expression of IFN-gamma and IL-4. Progressive decrease in tissue fungal burden correlated with increased spleen and lung cell activity. Increased IL-17 message was noted in spleen cells at all time points (3, 7 and 15 days post-infection; p.i.), while a modest increase in IFN-gamma mRNA expression was noted at day 3 p.i. Increased cytokine production at days 3 and 7 (IL-17) and throughout the experimental period (IFN-gamma) was found. In contrast, spleen cell IL-4 expression was considerably lower during infection, resulting in high IFN-gamma/IL-4 and IL-17/IL-4 ratios in the spleen. Pro-inflammatory cytokine response was observed in the lungs as well, but primarily as the result of increased production of IFN-gamma by lung cells in response to challenge with conidia and the absence of change in IL-4 response. Increased activity of cells from both tissues, as well as the pattern of cytokine production, created an optimal pro-inflammatory milieu for fungal eradication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research Sinisa Stankovic, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mirkov
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
authors.forename: Stanislava
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stosic-Grujicic
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glamoclija
authors.forename: Lidija
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zolotarevski
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kataranovski
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kataranovski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma