Leishmania aethiopica derived from diffuse leishmaniasis patients preferentially induce mRNA for interleukin-10 while those from localized leishmaniasis patients induce interferon-gamma.

Abstract

Exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to promastigotes of Leishmania aethiopica derived from patients with the self-limiting, localized form of the disease (local cutaneous leishmaniasis; LCL) preferentially induced mRNA for interferon (IFN)-gamma but little for interleukin (IL)-10. In contrast, stimulation of the same cells with promastigotes derived from patients with the persistent, disseminated form of the disease (diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis; DCL) stimulated the expression of IL-10 rather than IFN-gamma. In general, parasites derived from LCL patients induced more expression of other cytokines tested, including IL-4, IL-6, and transforming growth factor-beta, although tumor necrosis factor-alpha was equivalent in cultures stimulated with LCL or DCL promastigotes. The results suggest that the antigen-specific immunosuppression observed in DCL patients and the resulting clinical picture could in part be due to the properties of the infecting parasite to induce more IL-10 than IFN-gamma.

• Authors: H Akuffo, K Maasho, M Blostedt, B Höjeberg, S Britton, M Bakhiet
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 175 Issue 3 Pg. 737-41 (Mar 1997) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9041358 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• RNA, Messenger
• Interleukin-10
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Animals
• Cells, Cultured
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• In Situ Hybridization
• Interferon-gamma (genetics)
• Interleukin-10 (genetics)
• Leishmania (immunology)
• Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous (genetics, immunology, pathology)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics)
• Time Factors