title: Tim-2 up-regulation and galectin-9-Tim-3 pathway activation in Th2-biased response in Schistosoma japonicum infection in mice.
abstract: T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (Tim) family, a new gene that expresses on the surface of T cells, plays a critical role in regulation of T cells response. Previous data have shown that Tim-3 expressed on Th1 cells promotes itself apoptosis. Tim-2 is preferentially up-regulated during Th2 differentiation and functions as a potent costimulatory molecule for T-cell immunity. The present study aims to learn whether Tims are responsible for Th2-biased response evoked by Schistosoma japonicum infection. The expressions of Tim-2 and Tim-3 in spleen lymphocytes from S. japonicum-infected mice were examined, and the possible role of galectin-9-Tim-3 pathway in Th2-biased response triggered by schistosome infection was discussed. Our results showed that Tim-2 mRNAs were up-regulated in the spleen of schistosome-infected mice, which coincided with elevated IL-4 gene expression. Administration of galectin-9 significantly induced apoptosis of naïve spleen lymphocytes with down-regulation IFN-γexpression in vitro. Additionally, Tim-3-Fc fusion protein notably enhanced Th1 cells and decreased Th2 cells in vitro. Thus, we concluded that pro-apoptotic effects on Th1 population through galectin-9-Tim-3 pathway and the up-regulation of Tim-2 on Th2 cells might be critical to Th2-biased response of host with schistosomiasis japonica.
authors.affiliation: Provincial Key Laboratories of Microbiology & Parasitology, and Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ji-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yuan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Qing-Li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zheng-Rong
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: De-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Wen-Jian
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; C442241:Havcr2 protein, mouse; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; C442242:Timd2 protein, mouse; C508186:galectin 9, mouse