Interleukin-6-deficient mice are highly susceptible to Giardia lamblia infection but exhibit normal intestinal immunoglobulin A responses against the parasite.

Abstract

In the present study, interleukin-6 (IL-6)-deficient mice were infected with Giardia lamblia clone GS/M-83-H7. Murine IL-6 deficiency did not affect the synthesis of parasite-specific intestinal immunoglobulin A. However, in contrast to wild-type mice, IL-6-deficient animals were not able to control the acute phase of parasite infection. Reverse transcription-PCR-based quantitation of cytokine mRNA levels in peripheral lymph node cells exhibited a short-term up-regulation of IL-4 expression in IL-6-deficient mice that seemed to be associated with failure in controlling the parasite population. This observation suggests a further elucidation of IL-4-dependent, Th2-type regulatory processes regarding their potential to influence the course of G. lamblia infection in the experimental murine host.

• Authors: Marianne Bienz, Wen Juan Dai, Monika Welle, Bruno Gottstein, Norbert Müller
• Journal: Infection and immunity (Infect Immun) Vol. 71 Issue 3 Pg. 1569-73 (Mar 2003) ISSN: 0019-9567 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12595479 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Immunoglobulin A
• Interleukin-6
• Interleukin-4
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Protozoan (biosynthesis)
• Disease Susceptibility
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Giardia lamblia (immunology)
• Giardiasis (immunology)
• Immunoglobulin A (biosynthesis)
• Interferon-gamma (biosynthesis)
• Interleukin-4 (biosynthesis)
• Interleukin-6 (deficiency, physiology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction