Some characteristics of IL-5-producing T cells in mouse liver induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection

Parasitol Res. 2013 May;112(5):1945-51. doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3350-2. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Abstract

Schistosome infection could cause significant liver damage in animal; Th2 cells play an important role in the progress of this disease. In our study, C57BL/6 mice were infected by Schistosoma japonicum and lymphocytes were isolated from the liver to detect some characteristics of interleukin-5 (IL-5)-producing T cells by different methods. The results revealed that S. japonicum infection could induce a large amount of IL-5 in mouse liver T cells by the means of fluorescent bead immunoassay and RT-PCR. Although, mouse liver contained many T cell subsets, such as Th cells, Tc cells, NKT cells, and γδ T cells. Fluorescence activated cell sorting results indicated that Th cells were the main source of IL-5 in the T cell population after phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin stimulation. Moreover, the percentage of IL-5-producing Th cells continued to increase from 4 to 8 weeks after S. japonicum infection, which differed from the changes of IFN-γ(+) Th1 cells, IL-4(+) Th2 cells, and IL-17A(+) Th17 cells during S. japonicum infection. Additionally, cytokines co-expression results demonstrated that 36.2 % of IL-5(+) Th cells could express IL-4, and 10 % of it could produce IFN-γ or IL-17A. Collectively, these findings implied that IL-5-producing Th cells posses some properties which differ from other cytokines secreting Th cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-5 / biosynthesis*
  • Liver / immunology*
  • Liver / parasitology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Schistosoma japonicum / immunology
  • Schistosoma japonicum / pathogenicity*
  • Schistosomiasis japonica / immunology*
  • Schistosomiasis japonica / parasitology
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / cytology
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / cytology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-5
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma