title: T cell-derived IL-4/IL-13 protects mice against fatal Schistosoma mansoni infection independently of basophils.
abstract: Schistosomiasis is a severe and chronic disease caused by the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni after deposition of eggs in the liver and intestines. The immune response to S. mansoni eggs is characterized by increased Th2 cells, eosinophilia, and high serum IgE levels. Granulomas are formed around the eggs to protect the organs against tissue damage caused by toxic products that are secreted from the eggs. Egg-derived components have further been shown to activate the IgE-mediated release of IL-4 and IL-13 from basophils, suggesting that basophils could be involved in protection against a fatal course of infection. Using T cell-specific IL-4/IL-13-deficient mice and basophil-deficient Mcpt8Cre mice, we determined the contribution of Th2 cells and basophils for protective immunity against S. mansoni egg-induced pathology during the patent stage of infection. Our results demonstrate that T cell-derived IL-4/IL-13 was essential for granuloma formation, IgE production, basophilia, differentiation of alternatively activated macrophages, and protection against fatal infection. Although basophils were recruited into liver granulomas, they appeared to be dispensable as a source of IL-4/IL-13 both for differentiation of Th2 cells and for prevention of weight loss and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology at the Institute of Microbiology-Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany;
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology at the Institute of Microbiology-Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany;
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oeser
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technische Universität München, München 80333, Germany; and.
authors.forename: Clarissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prazeres da Costa
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn 53127, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Layland
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology at the Institute of Microbiology-Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany; david.voehringer@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Voehringer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E