| First Author | Gao W | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | Int J Parasitol | Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 167-70 |
| PubMed ID | 11812493 | Mgi Jnum | J:106201 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3617733 | Doi | 10.1016/s0020-7519(01)00322-8 |
| Citation | Gao W, et al. (2002) Interleukin-6 is required for parasite specific response and host resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi. Int J Parasitol 32(2):167-70 |
| abstractText | Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease, results in elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum and infected tissues. However, it remains unknown whether IL-6 plays a role in host defence against T. cruzi. To determine whether IL-6 underlies disease progression, we followed the time course of T. cruzi-infected mice bearing IL-6 +/+ and minus sign/minus sign genotypes, respectively. We found that IL-6 minus sign/minus sign mice were more susceptible to T. cruzi infection as they exhibited about 3-fold higher parasitaemia and died earlier than wild-type animals. Unlike what might be expected, T. cruzi-infected IL-6 minus sign/minus sign mice did not show at peak infection a decrease in the secretion of IFN-gamma, a Th1 cytokine crucial for controlling the parasite. Instead, they exhibited a much reduced splenocyte recall response to T. cruzi antigens. Our results suggest that IL-6 mediates anti-parasite protective responses against T. cruzi. |
