title: Mast cells have no impact on cutaneous leishmaniasis severity and related Th2 differentiation in resistant and susceptible mice.
abstract: The genus leishmania comprises different protozoan parasites which are causative agents of muco-cutaneous and systemic, potentially lethal diseases. After infection with the species Leishmania major, resistant mice expand Th1 cells which stimulate macrophages for Leishmania destruction. In contrast, susceptible mice generate Th2 cells which deactivate macrophages, leading to systemic spread of the pathogens. Th-cell differentiation is determined within the first days, and Th2 cell differentiation requires IL-4, whereby the initial IL-4 source is often unknown. Mast cells are potential sources of IL-4, and hence their role in murine leishmaniasis has previously been studied in mast cell-deficient Kit mutant mice, although these mice display immunological phenotypes beyond mast cell deficiency. We therefore readdressed this question by infecting Kit-independent mast cell-deficient mice that are Th1 (C57BL/6 Cpa(Cre) ) or Th2 (BALB/c Cpa(Cre) ) prone with L. major. Using different parasite doses and intra- or subcutaneous infection routes, the results demonstrate no role of mast cells on lesion size development, parasite load, immune cell phenotypes expanding in draining lymph nodes, and cytokine production during murine cutaneous leishmaniasis. Thus, other cell types such as ILCs or T cells have to be considered as primary source of Th2-driving IL-4.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zapf
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hartmann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raifer
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Feyerabend
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bollig
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Bärbel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trier
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schleicher
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Reimer
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rodewald
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Microbiology Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lohoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D018320:Leishmania major; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D059208:Parasite Load; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Cpa3Cre; KitW/KitWv; Leishmaniasis; Mast cell; Th1/Th2