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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
IL-13 induces disease-promoting type 2 cytokines, alternatively activated macrophages and allergic inflammation during pulmonary infection of mice with Cryptococcus neoformans
Journal of Immunology, Volume 179, No. 8, Year 2007
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Description
In the murine model of Cryptococcus neoformans infection Th1 (IL-12/IFN-γ) and Th17 (IL-23/IL-17) responses are associated with protection, whereas an IL-4-dependent Th2 response exacerbates disease. To investigate the role of the Th2 cytokine IL-13 during pulmonary infection with C. neoformans, IL-13-overexpressing transgenic (IL-13Tg+), IL-13-deficient (IL-13-/-), and wild-type (WT) mice were infected intranasally. Susceptibility to C. neoformans infection was found when IL-13 was induced in WT mice or overproduced in IL-13Tg+ mice. Infected IL-13Tg+ mice had a reduced survival time and higher pulmonary fungal load as compared with WT mice. In contrast, infected IL-13-/- mice were resistant and 89% of these mice survived the entire period of the experiment. Ag-specific production of IL-13 by susceptible WT and IL-13Tg + mice was associated with a significant type 2 cytokine shift but only minor changes in IFN-γ production. Consistent with enhanced type 2 cytokine production, high levels of serum IgE and low ratios of serum IgG2a/IgG1 were detected in susceptible WT and IL-13Tg+ mice. Interestingly, expression of IL-13 by susceptible WT and IL-13Tg+ mice was associated with reduced IL-17 production. IL-13 was found to induce formation of alternatively activated macrophages expressing arginase-1, macrophage mannose receptor (CD206), and YM1. In addition, IL-13 production led to lung eosinophilia, goblet cell metaplasia and elevated mucus production, and enhanced airway hyperreactivity. This indicates that IL-13 contributes to fatal allergic inflammation during C. neoformans infection. Copyright © 2007 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.
Authors & Co-Authors
Müller, Uwe
Germany, Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
Stenzel, Werner Peter
Germany, Koln
Universität zu Köln
Köhler, Gabriele
Germany, Munster
Gerhard-domagk-institut Für Pathologie
Werner, Christoph
Germany, Halle
Martin-luther-universität Halle-wittenberg
Polte, Tobias
Germany, Halle
Martin-luther-universität Halle-wittenberg
Germany, Leipzig
Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung
Hansen, Gesine
Germany, Halle
Martin-luther-universität Halle-wittenberg
Germany, Hannover
Hannover Medical School
Schütze, Nicole
Germany, Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
Straubinger, Reinhard K.
Germany, Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
Blessing, Manfred
Germany, Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
McKenzie, Andrew N.J.
United Kingdom, Cambridge
The Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Brombacher, Frank
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Alber, Gottfried
Germany, Leipzig
Universität Leipzig
Statistics
Citations: 276
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 8
Identifiers
Doi:
10.4049/jimmunol.179.8.5367
ISSN:
00221767
e-ISSN:
15506606
Study Approach
Quantitative