IL-21 is required for optimal antibody production and T cell responses during chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection.
PLoS One
; 8(5): e62889, 2013.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23667536
ABSTRACT
Previous studies have indicated that Il21r (-/-) mice chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii display a defect in serum IgG; however, the basis for this antibody defect was not defined and questions remain about the role of IL-21 in promoting the production of IL-10, which is required to limit infection-induced pathology during toxoplasmosis. Therefore, Il21 (-/-) mice were challenged with T. gondii to determine whether IL-21 impacts the parasite-specific CD8(+) T cell response, its contribution to thymus-dependent antibody production after infection, and balance between protective and pathogenic responses. Whereas IL-21 has been implicated in the differentiation of IL-10 producing CD4(+) T cells no immune-mediated pathology was evident in Il21 (-/-) mice during the acute response, nor was there a defect in the development of this population in chronically infected Il21 (-/-) mice. However, Il21 (-/-) mice displayed a defect in IgG production after infection that correlated with a decrease in GC B cell numbers, the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell numbers in the brain were reduced over the course of the chronic infection leading to a decrease in total IFN-γ production and an increase in parasite numbers associated with susceptibility to toxoplasmic encephalitis. Together, these results identify a key role for IL-21 in shaping the humoral and cellular response to T. gondii, but indicate that IL-21 has a limited role in regulating immunopathology.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Toxoplasma
/
Antibodies, Protozoan
/
T-Lymphocytes
/
Toxoplasmosis
/
Interleukins
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Year:
2013
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: