| First Author | Blackstock R | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol | Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 109-17 |
| PubMed ID | 12855407 | Mgi Jnum | J:95350 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3525894 | Doi | 10.1165/rcmb.2003-0156OC |
| Citation | Blackstock R, et al. (2004) Role of interleukin-4 in resistance to Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 30(1):109-17 |
| abstractText | The role of interleukin (IL)-4 in cryptococcal disease was studied in IL-4 knockout (IL-4KO) and wild-type (WT) mice infected with Cryptococcus neoformans isolates that vary widely in their virulence. Delayed-type hypersensitivity responses were reduced in IL-4KO mice following primary infection with either isolate. Splenic T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine responses were increased in the IL-4KO mice infected with the weakly virulent isolate (184A) but did not change during infection with the highly virulent isolate (NU-2). Th2 cytokine responses (IL-5, IL-10) were downregulated in the IL-4KO mice infected with either isolate. Survival after primary infection with either isolate was not influenced by the absence of IL-4. Fewer colony-forming units were found in the lungs of 184A-infected, IL-4KO mice as compared to WT mice, suggesting that some immunity had developed. IL-4KO mice, primed with small doses of cryptococcal antigen (CneF), had significantly enhanced delayed-type hypersensitivity responses after intravenous infection with 184A and were more resistant to infection compared with WT mice. Increased expression of IL-5 with decreased interferon-gamma contributed to the inability of primed WT mice to resist infection with 184A. Enhanced immunity in the primed IL-4KO mice was reflected in a more moderate increase in IL-5 and IL-10 with maintenance of interferon-gamma levels. |
