Mice lack of LRG-47 display the attenuated outcome of infection with Schistosoma japonicum

Interferon-inducible GTPase LRG-47 (also named immune-related GTPase M, Irgm1) is a member of the p47 GTPase family that has been shown to regulate host resistance to intracellular pathogens. Little knowledge has been known about the role of LRG-47 in host's responses to extracellular pathogens. To investigate possible roles of LRG-47 in the course of Schistosoma japonicum infection, LRG-47-deficient (LRG-47(-/-)) and wild-type (WT) mice were challenged with cercariae of S. japonicum, and the cellular and humoral responses in mice were analyzed. At the acute stage of S. japonicum infection, in contrast to WT mice, LRG-47(-/-) mice showed the significantly decreased egg burden, low schistosome-specific antibody response, and the decreased Th1 and increased Tc1 responses. Additionally, Schistosoma japonicum-specific egg antigen immunization also produced the similar humoral and cellular immune responses as S. japonicum infection. Taken together, these data suggested that the deficiency of LRG-47 might affect host's CD4(+) T cell immune response via the weakening of IFN-γ downstream signaling; however, the specific function of LRG-47 on dealing with extracellular worm needs to be further studied.