Abstract
The roles of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 in the regulation of immunity to Leishmania donovani infection are still poorly understood. Here we show that the increased parasite load observed in IL-4(-/-) and IL-4 receptor alpha(-/-) mice correlates with retarded granuloma maturation and antileishmanial activity and that the increased parasite load observed in IL-4 receptor alpha(-/-) mice correlates with increased NOS2 expression and decreased serum gamma interferon levels. IL-4 and IL-13 appear to play little role in regulating collagen deposition in L. donovani-induced granulomas.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Granuloma / etiology*
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Granuloma / immunology
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Granuloma / parasitology
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Granuloma / pathology
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Interferon-gamma / blood
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Interleukin-13 / physiology
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Interleukin-4 / deficiency
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Interleukin-4 / genetics
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Interleukin-4 / physiology*
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Leishmania donovani / immunology
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Leishmania donovani / pathogenicity
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Leishmaniasis, Visceral / etiology*
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Leishmaniasis, Visceral / immunology
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Leishmaniasis, Visceral / parasitology
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Leishmaniasis, Visceral / pathology
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Liver Diseases, Parasitic / etiology*
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Liver Diseases, Parasitic / immunology
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Liver Diseases, Parasitic / parasitology
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Liver Diseases, Parasitic / pathology
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Knockout
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Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
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Receptors, Interleukin-4 / deficiency
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Receptors, Interleukin-4 / genetics
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Receptors, Interleukin-4 / physiology*
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Signal Transduction
Substances
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Interleukin-13
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Receptors, Interleukin-4
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Interleukin-4
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Interferon-gamma
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Nitric Oxide Synthase
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
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Nos2 protein, mouse