title: T-helper 17 cells are associated with pathology in human schistosomiasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schistosome infections are often clinically silent, but some individuals develop severe pathological reactions. In several disease processes, T-helper 17 (Th17) cells have been linked to tissue injuries, while regulatory T cells (Tregs) are thought to downmodulate inflammatory reactions. We assessed whether bladder pathology in human Schistosoma haematobium infection is related to the balance of Th17 cells and Tregs. We used a murine model of Schistosoma mansoni infection to further investigate whether the peripheral profiles reflected ongoing events in tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  We characterized T-helper cell subsets in the peripheral blood of children residing in a S. haematobium-endemic area and in the peripheral blood, spleen, and hepatic granulomas of S. mansoni-infected high-pathology CBA mice and low-pathology C57BL/6 mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S. haematobium-infected children with bladder pathology had a significantly higher percentage of Th17 cells than those without pathology. Moreover, the Th17/Treg ratios were significantly higher in infected children with pathology, compared with infected children without pathology. Percentages of interleukin 17-producing cells were significantly higher in spleen and granulomas of CBA mice, compared with C57BL/6 mice. This difference was also reflected in the peripheral blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to indicate that Th17 cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of human schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology and Virology, Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital, Dakar, Senegal. moustaphazero@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Moustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbow
authors.forename: Bridget M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meurs
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wammes
authors.forename: Sanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Lucja A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Labuda
authors.forename: Makhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.forename: Hermelijn H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polman
authors.forename: Tandakha N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Dieye
authors.forename: Souleymane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mboup
authors.forename: Miguel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Stadecker
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazdanbakhsh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008875:Middle Aged; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000276:immunology*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17