Interleukin-6-deficient mice are highly susceptible to Giardia lamblia infection but exhibit normal intestinal immunoglobulin A responses against the parasite

Infect Immun. 2003 Mar;71(3):1569-73. doi: 10.1128/IAI.71.3.1569-1573.2003.

Abstract

In the present study, interleukin-6 (IL-6)-deficient mice were infected with Giardia lamblia clone GS/M-83-H7. Murine IL-6 deficiency did not affect the synthesis of parasite-specific intestinal immunoglobulin A. However, in contrast to wild-type mice, IL-6-deficient animals were not able to control the acute phase of parasite infection. Reverse transcription-PCR-based quantitation of cytokine mRNA levels in peripheral lymph node cells exhibited a short-term up-regulation of IL-4 expression in IL-6-deficient mice that seemed to be associated with failure in controlling the parasite population. This observation suggests a further elucidation of IL-4-dependent, Th2-type regulatory processes regarding their potential to influence the course of G. lamblia infection in the experimental murine host.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / biosynthesis*
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Giardia lamblia / immunology*
  • Giardiasis / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin A / biosynthesis*
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-6 / deficiency
  • Interleukin-6 / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Interleukin-6
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma