Type 2 immunity: a two-edged sword in schistosomiasis immunopathology

Nada Abdel Aziz; Fungai Musaigwa; Paballo Mosala; Inssaf Berkiks; Frank Brombacher

doi:10.1016/j.it.2022.06.005

Type 2 immunity: a two-edged sword in schistosomiasis immunopathology

Trends Immunol. 2022 Aug;43(8):657-673. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2022.06.005. Epub 2022 Jul 12.

Authors

Nada Abdel Aziz¹, Fungai Musaigwa², Paballo Mosala², Inssaf Berkiks², Frank Brombacher³

Affiliations

¹ Cytokines and Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Biotechnology/Biomolecular Chemistry Program, Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa. Electronic address: nadaabdelaziz@cu.edu.eg.
² Cytokines and Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
³ Cytokines and Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa. Electronic address: frank.brombacher@icgeb.org.

PMID: 35835714
DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2022.06.005

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is the second most debilitating neglected tropical disease globally after malaria, with no available therapy to control disease-driven immunopathology. Although schistosomiasis induces a markedly heterogenous immune response, type 2 immunity is the dominating immune response following oviposition. While type 2 immunity has a crucial role in granuloma formation and host survival during the acute stage of disease, its chronic activation can result in tissue scarring, fibrosis, and organ impairment. Here, we discuss recent advances in schistosomiasis, demonstrating how different immune and non-immune cells and signaling pathways are involved in the induction, maintenance, and regulation of type 2 immunity. A better understanding of these immune responses during schistosomiasis is essential to inform the potential development of candidate therapeutic strategies that fine-tune type 2 immunity to ideally modulate schistosomiasis immunopathology.

Keywords: IL4Rα; fibro-granulomatous inflammation; schistosomiasis; type 2 immunity.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Female
Fibrosis
Humans
Schistosomiasis* / metabolism
Schistosomiasis* / pathology