title: Signalling through the IL-2 receptor γ(c) peptide (CD132) is essential for the expression of immunity to Plasmodium chabaudi adami blood-stage malaria.
abstract: A genetic dissection approach was employed to determine whether the IL-2 receptor complex (IL-2R) comprised of α, β and γ chains is required for the suppression of Plasmodium chabaudi adami parasitemia. Blood-stage infections in IL-2Rγ(c)(-/y) mice failed to cure with parasitemia remaining elevated for > 50 days indicating the IL-2Rγ(c) through which all members of the γ(c) family of cytokines signal has an essential role in protective immunity against blood-stage malarial parasites. In contrast, the curing of parasitemia in IL-2/15Rβ⁻/⁻ mice, deficient in both IL-2 and IL-15 signalling was significantly delayed but did occur, indicating that neither cytokine plays an essential role in parasite clearance. Moreover, the observation that the time course of parasitemia in IL-15⁻/⁻ mice was nearly identical to that seen in controls suggests that the parasitemia-suppressing role of stimulating through the IL-2/15Rβ chain is owing to IL-2 signalling and not a redundant function of IL-15.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. e-wweidanz@wisc.edu
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Weidanz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lafleur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kita-Yarbro
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007178:Inbreeding; D053631:Interleukin Receptor Common gamma Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D023421:Models, Animal; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D053631:Interleukin Receptor Common gamma Subunit; D007378:Interleukins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2